Tie Mediterranean 
a flDontbls Journal of Natural Science. 
Vol. L, No. 12. MALTA, MAY 1st. 1892. 
I 
CONTENTS. 
— ►<>— Page 
1 Diseases of the Malta Orange— C. Tagliaferro. 173 
2 Fish Remains in the Upper Limestone of Malta— 
J. H. C. 176 
3 Maltese Mosses. 176 
4 Estivation. 176 
5 Notes on Stereodon Melitensis— John H. Cooke. 176 
6 Some Strange Plants. 177 
7 The New Star. 178 
8 Wind-action in Egypt— W. M. Flinders Petrie. 178 
9 Exploration in the Black Sea. 181 
10 Notes and News:— Meeting of the Botanical Society 
of France — Attacks of Mosquito— Famine in Rus- 
sia— The horse and its modifications— Strength of 
molluscs— Colours of the Mediterranean— Miss 
E. A. Omerod— “Silver Thaw 1 ’ -A remarkable ca- 
talogue— etc. etc. 181 
11 Notes on Books, etc. 181 
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Diseases of the Malta Orange. 
Introduction : — The insects with two membra- 
nous wings known as Dipterans oi?3F to tho 
study of the Naturalist various families with a 
prodigious number of species many or which 
infest man in his dwelling, such as mosquitoes and 
hies, while others torment domestic animals as 
the tick which is found on sheep and cows and the 
gadfly on cattle. 
Several of these insects are likewise pernicious 
to the vegetable kingdom, consuming loaves, 
flowers, and fruits. 
The peach, cherry, and olive, besides other trees 
are specially attacked by flies, the larvae of which 
devour their fruits; thus proving very detrimental 
to the cultivators of fruit-trees. 
The orange trees, especially the mandarines are 
attacked by a lively, small fly known to EooIcgisU 
for the last sixty-three years. This £j seems to 
have first visited this Island about fifteen year.; 
ago, since which time, it has gradually increased 
in number causing damages which during the last 
three years have become most serious. 
This insect belongs to the “Ceratitis” as clas- 
sified by McLeay in the year 1829. 
Men who claim the right of priority call this 
species “Ceratitis Capitafa”. Wiedmann, a few 
years before, described the same Diptera as 
“Tephritis Capitata” — however the insect still 
continues to the knowarby English entomologists 
as “Ceratitis Citriperda” — as thus designated by 
McLeay. 
This species has for a long time been confused 
with the “Ceratitis Qispanica” which is found on 
the coast of the Mediterranean. But notwith- 
standing its being looked upon by some as a 
variety of the same it is still an entirely different 
species 
With a view of studying the biology of this 
Diptera, the late Sir Henry Torrens named a 
Committee, in 1889 under the presidency of the 
