49 
under conditions as favorable as possible to their maintenance; 
The rapid post-mortem development of the fungus here was quite 
inexplicable on any other theory than that of its pathogenic 
character. One specimen, for example, alive in the afternoon, but 
dead upon the bell glass at noon of the following day, was already 
completely whitened by a profuse external growth of this Botrytis, 
already fruiting abundantly. 
Another example, but just dead, (taken from a lot of chinch 
bugs among which this Botrytis affection prevailed,) upon whose 
surface no external growth had yet appeared, was seen to be filled 
and penetrated everywhere with a rudimentary and rapidly grow¬ 
ing mycelium certainly not entomophthorous, but agreeing in 
jharacter with the Botrytis as this appears within the insect. 
As to the distribution of this fungus outside the State, I have 
10 knowledge beyond the fact that it appeared in a small collec¬ 
tion of chinch bugs received from Mr. Otto Lugger, of Minne¬ 
sota, October 25, 1888, within a fortnight of their arrival here,—a 
“act which may be explained either as due to its occurrence in 
Minnesota, or as a result of accidental infection at the office after 
he bugs arrived. 
An observation of especial interest was made November 1 by 
Mr. Marten, at Champaign, a large beetle (Parandra brunnea) 
ound dead under a log, being thickly covered with a profuse 
growth of this same Botrytis. 
Descriptions and figures of these fungi, and fuller accounts of 
he diseases associated with them, may be best postponed until 
>ur studies now in progress are further advanced. 
At present it appears that all except perhaps the bacterial dis¬ 
use are closely dependent for their activity on the weather, al- 
hough their generally rapid development over so large a territory in- 
Licates their presence at all times to a greater or less extent. That 
he bacterial disease is less dependent upon wet weather for its ac- 
ivity was shown by occurrences detailed in my entomological re- 
>ort for 1882, borne out as these are by our office experiments 
his year. While in order to obtain the free and rapid develop¬ 
ment of the Entomophthora or Botrytis, it was necessary to en- 
lose the chinch bugs under glass over moist earth, the bacterial 
isease appeared or continued equally well in specimens kept per- 
mctly dry, and even where they were evidently perishing from 
imple drouth. However, the appearance of even this disease only 
fter a season of considerable rain, and our failure to detect it in 
le field in extremely dry weather, make it probable that this also 
i3mains in abeyance under conditions recognized as especially 
worable to chinch-bug increase. 
That it is chiefly to the joint action of these various disease- 
roducing fungi, favored as they are by moist weather, that we 
we the disappearance of chinch-bug outbreaks, is rendered almost 
3rtain by the facts now on record. 
S. E.—4a 
