106 
June 8, 1899, Mr. Pergande observed one of these bugs sucking 
young shoots of plum, which were afterwards observed to wilt and 
turn black as in the observation made on raspberry; and during Sep- 
tember, 1900, he obtained a number of ymphs mostly in the last stage, 
attacking common ragweed (Ambrosia artemiside folia), this latter 
being, therefore, undoubtedly a natural food plant. 
An account was given of this species by the late H. G. Hubbard in 
"Insects affecting the orange," which includes a figure of the adult 
and brief description of the eggs and the young nymphs. He states 
(p. 163), "'It is a very common and often a very destructive insect," 
presumably to orange in Florida. 
In a recently published account of this species by Messrs. Forbes 
and Hart (Bui. 60, Univ. III. Agric. Ex. Sta., p. 115) some additional 
notes are given, it being stated among other things that the authors 
found it on blackberry and raspberry, and on forest undergrowth in 
Illinois. It is stated on the authority of Brunei* to occur on beets 
and on wild cucumber. 
Alydus eurinus Say and A. pilosulus H.-S. — During January, 1901, 
Mr. F. E. Brooks, French Creek, W. Va., wrote of an insect which is 
described as somewhat resembling the squash bug, and which he stated 
was injuring his Lima beans and late cowpeas. 
January 15, he sent specimens found among dead bean vines, which 
there was no trouble in identifying as the above species. Specimens 
of bean pods accompanied this letter, and both pods and beans plainly 
showed punctures of a sucking insect, the beans being quite disfigured 
by the numerous discolorations formed about the punctured spots. 
In continuation of observations conducted in 1901, Mr. Brooks also 
sent additional specimens of this species of the variety ater Dall., as 
also of Alydus pilosulus H.-S., with information that the}' appeared to 
be responsible for the diseased condition of cowpea. October 28, 
1901, Mr. Brooks wrote that these insects occurred again in consider- 
able numbers, but the early frost killed the vines of cowpea, as also 
the pods, and rendered it impossible to determine to Avhat extent the 
insects were responsible for the spread of the disease in the beans and 
cowpeas. Our correspondent, however, was still of the opinion that 
under favorable conditions these insects transmitted the disease from 
one pod to another and that they may prove at times a serious pest. 
He had observed them at the date of writing collected upon the dry 
pods of cowpea. They thrust their beaks quite easily through the 
dry pods and appeared to be feeding on something within for one or 
two minutes, when the} 7 removed their beaks and inserted them in 
another place. He could not determine whether the puncture extended 
to the seeds within or not. Our correspondent's opinion is of value, 
as he was perfectly able to distinguish the two species of Alydus, notic- 
