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aes LETTER OF THE BUREAU OF ENTOMO aa CEIVED | , 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE + UN 121916 *& | 
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BUREAU VISITOR DURING MAY. 





















Dr. Th. Mortensen, of the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen, called at the Bureau H 
12th. Dr. Mortensen has been traveling extensively for the past year or more 
interests of his Museum, and is now returning home. He is well known for his. 
7 rches in oceanography. 
DOCTOR MARCHAL’S NEW BOOK. a 
Page proofs have been received of Paul Marchal’s account of his visit to Ameri- 
The title, translated, is "The Biological Sciences Applied to Agriculture and 
Struggle against the Enemies of Plants in the United States." The volume will 
bout 400 royal octavo pages, and is enthusiastic in its praise of the organi- 
of the Bureau of Ratomology,. 
‘le 
INSECTS AS FOOD FOR MAN. 
“Now that the season of insect activity is on again, attention of field workers 
Called to the desirability of experiments on the edibility of insects. Recently 
sterna larvae have been made into a salad by Doctor Langworthy of the Office 
Home Economics, and this salad has been tasted by about a dozen men in the Bureau, — 
) found it not at all disagreeable. A broth was also made, which Mr. O’Leary and 
iter found very good. Mr. Craighead told me yesterday that he had been trying 
yycid larvae fried in butter, and, while he is not enthusiastic, he pronounces 
\dible. I will make no suggestions as to method of preparation, but will leave 
to the ingenuity of any of you who have a chance to experiment. (L.0. Howard.) 
APHIS OR APHID. 
_ ‘The undersigned have carefully considered the question raised by Dr. Chittenden 
to the use of the words “plant lice", "aphid", etc., in publications of the Bu- 
sn of Entomology. It appears that the following terminology relative to common 
Of species of Aphididae should be adopted in Bureau Publications:- 
~(@) Aphis should te used in connection with some other modifying word as, the 
DOlly apple aphis", “corn aphis", “box-elder aphis", etc. This conforms to the 
Stice adopted by the American Association of Economic Entomologists. 
(2) The word "aphid" or “aphids"(plural) should be used in referring to plant 
i6 in general. While the origin of the word Aphis is unknown, it has apparently 
mn latinized and should properly be rendered in English, as Dr. Chittenden sug-~ 
ts , as aphidid, or aphides. However, since the word "aphid" is given preference 
Ost dictioneries, and is almost exclusively used by students of Aphididae, it 
| not seem good policy to attempt to change a practice so well fixed. 
As regards the use of the word “plant-louse", this should be abandoned and 
nid" employed in its place. 

(SIGNED): C, L. MARLATT. 
A, L. QUAINTANCE. 
. D. HUNTER. 

