Reports of the Honorary Consulting Entomologist. 331 
daily in the case of the sparrow, which in some districts^has 
increased enormously. 
With regard to observations in progress, I find, by the notes 
of Mr. Lintner, State Entomologist for New York State, U.S.A., 
that there are more kinds of fly-maggots than the one commonly 
known here as the mangold and beet-leaf maggot, which also 
attack the leafage of this crop. It would be very desirable in 
the coming season for specimens of the maggots to be sent to 
be reared for identification, as it may help towards finding 
means to check this kind of attack. 
Observations on hop aphis are far from complete at present, 
but if even half-a-dozen hop-growers could be induced to try 
enclosing a plant, by merely placing three poles to meet above 
it, and then covering the plant and poles with an extinguisher- 
shaped bag made of stout muslin with the edges buried (to 
prevent any chance of ingress of insects), and would in due 
time report what was found beneath, we should then have some 
positive proof as to whether the hop lice come up out of the 
hill. 
I have made arrangements to try this experiment myself, 
but we need several observations on carefully enclosed plants 
to be certain of results on a working scale, and it is hoped that 
hop-growers in the various hop-producing districts will under- 
take to carry out careful observations in this direction. 
In an elaborate work upon the injurious insects to crops in 
California, by Mr. Matthew Cooke, late chief executive Horti- 
cultural Officer of that State, which I have recently received, it 
is stated that Mr. Cooke has found the hop aphis hibernating in 
crevices and roughened portions of the poles. He further states 
that he has found the winter eggs of a species of plant louse in 
the poles, but he cannot say that they were the eggs of the hop 
aphis. Mr. Cooke suggests that the hop-poles should be scalded 
in a solution of potash and water, but this is hardly practicable. 
I would suggest that investigation of the poles should be made 
by the hop-planters, and I shall be very pleased to assist them 
to the best of my ability. I also beg to mention that practical 
attention to, and the wish to obtain serviceable information on 
the subject of methods of prevention of, insect ravage, continue 
(as I mentioned in my previous Report) steadily to increase, 
both at home and in the Colonies. 
