190 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. VIII, No. 6 
of the organism. As a consequence, subsequent writers have been at a 
loss as to the systematic position of the genus Sorosporella. Several 
have gone so far as to suggest its affinity to the Entomophthorales, basing 
their claims on its apparent resemblance to the genus Massospora Peck, 
which Forbes and Thaxter have shown to be entomophthoraceous. 
In 1889 Giard (2) translated Sorokin’s article into French, and 
in the same issue of the publication followed it by a note in which he 
pointed out that Sorosporella agrotidis Sorokin was undoubtedly identical 
with Tarichium uvella Krassilstschik. Giard reached this conclusion 
because of the many points of similarity between the two forms, such, 
for example, as the reddish color of the fungus mass when observed 
with the naked eye, the peculiar internal development of both forms, the 
comparative uniformity of the spores in form and size (Sorokin, 4 to 7 m; 
Krassilstschik, 8 to ioju), and the existence of papillae on the spores. 
He furthermore called attention to the fact that the specific name 
“uvella” of Krassilstschik served also to indicate this peculiar massing 
of spores, a condition entirely dissimilar to that found in other ento- 
mogenous forms. 
The generic name Tarichium, if valid at all, is applicable to those 
forms of Entomophthorales in which resting spores only are known. As 
will be shown later, the fungus under consideration is in no way connected 
with this group, and, therefore, the use of the name Tarichium as em¬ 
ployed by Krassilstschik (4) becomes invalid. Hence, the correct name 
for the organism is Sorosporella uvella (Krass.) Gd., Giard having first 
recognized the form described by Sorokin as identical with that described 
by Krassilstschik. 
Early in June two larvae and one pupa of a cutworm ( Euxda tessellata 
Harris) which had died in breeding jars were given to the writer. The 
insects originally came from College Park, Md. No fungus was visible 
externally, but upon breaking open the larvae (PI. 66, A) a reddish brown 
powdery spore mass was seen which completely filled the interior of the 
insect’s body. Microscopic examination demonstrated that the fungus 
was none other than Sorosporella uvella (Krass.) Gd. 
So far as the writer is aware, there are no records of the appearance of 
this fungus in Europe since 1888; and, furthermore, this seems to be the 
first published account of its occurrence in America, except for a brief 
note of its presence in Ottawa, Canada, by Gibson (1). 
The object of the present preliminary note is merely to record the 
presence of this entomogenous form in the United States and to present 
some evidence to show that it is not entomophthoraceous, deferring for 
a time a more complete account of its life history as well as a considera¬ 
tion of its efficacy as a fungus parasite of insects. 
In the discussion which follows, the large, spherical, thick-walled cells 
will be spoken of as spores and the aggregations of these cells as spore 
masses. These terms have been used advisedly. It is realized that so 
