NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



755 



in the prairie districts of the West, he feeds instead on cultivated small 

 fruits. 



A remedy might be found in planting wild fruits about gardens and 

 orchards as a protection to the others. — C. H. C. 



Bitter Rot of Apples [Gkeosporium fructigenum). By M. C. C. 

 (Gard. Chron. No. 928, p. 249, figs. 101-105 inclusive ; Oct. 8, 1904).— This 

 fungus attacks Apples, Pears, Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, and other 

 fruit, often causing much injury. It occurs generally throughout Europe, 

 in the United States, Australia, and Tasmania. During the winter any 

 cankers formed by the fungus on the branches should be cut out and 

 burnt ; all diseased fruit should be at once destroyed, and the trees should 

 be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture before the buds open, and again 

 frequently from midsummer until the fruit is nearly ripe. A very inter- 

 esting account is given of the life-history of the fungus. — G. S. S. 



Black Currant Gall-mite (Eriophyes rib is). — By Cecil Warburton 

 (Jour. B.A.S. vol. 63, 1903, p. 304). — This pest, the author states, was 

 the subject of careful investigation during the past season ; but the results 

 as regards the treatment of the disease were largely negative, demon- 

 strating the uselessness of most of the remedial measures generally 

 adopted. — B. N. 



Bobwhite, The, as a Weed and Insect Destroyer. By Dr. S. D. 



Judd (U.S.A. Dep. Agr. Year Book, 1903, p. 193 ; coloured plates). — A 

 study of the bobwhite has been undertaken by means of field observations, 

 experiments with captive birds, and examination of the contents of crops 

 and stomachs in the laboratory. The results obtained from the above 

 study are summed up as follows : — 



This bird is probably the most useful abundant species on the farm. 

 It is one of the most nearly omnivorous birds, consuming great quantities 

 of weed seeds, and destroying many of the worst insect pests with which 

 the farmer has to contend. In addition to the above, it is found that it 

 does not injure grain, fruit, or any other crop. From an examination of 

 over 800 stomachs it is found that 15 per cent, of the birds' food is animal 

 matter, including beetles, grasshoppers, bugs, caterpillars, spiders, &c, 

 while nearly half of the vegetable matter found consisted of weed seeds. 

 Astonishing figures are given of the numbers of weed seeds actually found 

 in the stomachs of these birds. One bird when killed was found to have 

 eaten 10,000 seeds of pigweed ; another, 5,000 pigeon-grass seeds. 



Frequently crops are crammed with nothing but ragweed. The 

 following constituted one meal of a certain bird : 200 to 300 smartweed 

 seeds, 500 sheep sorrel seeds, and 700 of three- sided mercury. As to 

 insects, striped cucumber beetles are eaten by the score, potato beetles by 

 the hundred, and chinch bugs by the tablespoonful. 



The bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is of course closely related to the 

 partridge and quail. — V. J. M. 



Bog- Plant Societies of Northern North America: Geo- 

 graphical Distribution and Ecological Relations. By E. N. 



Transeau (Bot. Gaz. xxxvi. No. 6, p. 401). — The swamps have been called 



