The Holbrook news., 1912-05-10

a sunbeam. One of the most plenti- ful species, that known popularly as the black fairy fly, have captured in hundreds in the early spring, close up to the horizontal sash bar of an east window. At other times they are to be found in large numbers running up and down grass stems in search of their host eggs.
 Even after spending the better part of my life in the study of these in sects I am compelled to acknowledge that I know very little of them. Of the 21 genera now comprised in the British fairy flies, have been able to work out the life history of but two. Of course, know considerable about otherr the remaining nine teen, and year by year I am adding links that hope will eventually com plete the life cycles.
 "The common black fairy fly lays it's eggs in those of a small water beetle. found on stems of plants be- low the water line. In order. there fore, to get to it's host eggs this fairy fly must dive beneath the water. The Alaptus, another common speciea. searches for the eggs of a fly re- sembling the common green fly, the pest of the gardener. The tiny Camp toperA papavis, one of the smallest of fairy flies, sometimes appears in hun dreds on windows, and at my home in Woking have captured no fewer than 500, all females alone ti1aes
 "One of the most extraordinary lit tie insects is that known as Cara phractus cinctus. It Is aquatic in its habits, using its delicately fringed wings for flying through the water. Its legs are kept perfectly still during the operation and the fly progresses with jerky, zigzag motion.
 These insects appear in early spring-some of them in March-and I have captured them as late as De- cember. They are difficult to breed because of the difficulty of discover ing their host eggs.
 "Of all insects. that popularly call ed battledore wing fly is without doubt the most wonderfully formed and most beautiful I have ever looked upon. It is less than one-twentieth of an inch in length, with its two front wings shaped like long-handled battle dores, surrounded by a fringe of long hairs. The hind wings, so tiny that even under a powerful microscope the ordinary observer does not see them. are armed with three minute hooks on the upper edge, which fix into grooves on the upper wings and so form a strengthening bracket. My first capture of the battledore wing fly was made S3 years ago and 1t was only last year, after constant efforts. that I was able to breed it."
 Speaking generally, Knock had high praise for the work of the bureau of entomology of the United States de- partment of agriculture. He con stantly corresponds with Dr. Leland O. Howard, its famous chief, for whom he has a great admiration
 'Tf we only had the brains in this country that you have in the United States" remarked Knock, sorrowfully, i've might be able to give something worth while to science. We know ab- solutely nothing about the life his tory of the majority of crop pests, and there is no organization such as your bureau of entomology to advise the farmers of Great Britain. The trouble is there is no money avail able for field work, and when a gov ernment grant is made the money is spent in some ineffective way that fs of absolutely no practical use to the | farmer. Some day suppose we shah | wake up"