26 proceedings: biological society 



in a suburban locality near Washington by Max Kisliuk, Jr., under 

 the direction of the writer. In these, several records of from 1800 to 

 2175 yards were obtained. These were compared with the records 

 obtained by R. H. Parker during the same season at Miles City, Mon- 

 tana; his longest record was 3500 yards. The question of how the 

 house-fly overwinters in this latitude was said to be still undecided. 

 It was pointed out that flies were not killed by the first heavy frost, 

 as has often been stated; and that, in fact, a large percentage revived after 

 several nights' exposure to minimum temperatures of 25° F. They 

 are killed by temperatures of 15°F. Flies were found emerging up 

 to the first week in December, and these late forms were found in 

 heated buildings until the end of January. None were again seen 

 till April 27. Other observations were cited as indicating that flies 

 do not overwinter in the adult state; but, on the other hand, a long 

 series of experiments and observations failed to give any positive 

 evidence that they overwinter in the larval or pupal state. 



W. Dwight Pierce: Recent spread of the cotton boll weevil. A brief 

 history of the movement of this pest through the United States sug- 

 gests, from a study of specimens collected in all parts of the infested 

 regions of North America, that there are three lines of dispersion. It 

 seems probable that the boll weevil originated in Guatemala or some 

 other portion of Central America and that the most typical strain 

 migrated northward through the mountains of Mexico into Arizona, 

 where it is now found as a native species on the wild cotton-like plant 

 Thurberia thespesioides. The main migration was along the Gulf 

 Coast, through the cultivated cotton regions, into the United States. 

 The third line of dispersion was through Yucatan, across the Gulf, 

 to Cuba. Specimens collected at the three termini of these dispersions 

 appear to be very distinct varieties. That variety which is found on 

 cultivated cotton in the United States is the smallest found and the 

 most variable. The movement of the weevil is controlled by the 

 amount of food supply, which regulates the time and distance of nat- 

 ural movement by winds and floods, and by artificial agencies. The 

 most interesting development of the present year is the extension of 

 the weevil to the northern limits of cotton growth in Oklahoma and 

 Arkansas into central Tennessee, eastward to the Atlantic Ocean south 

 of Savannah, and the infestation of practically all the cotton region of 

 Florida. The only Sea Island cotton section now not infected is that 

 of South Carolina. 



E. R. Sasscer: Remarks on entomological inspection and disinfec- 

 tion of products offered for entry into the United States. A brief review 

 of the Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 was given, pointing out the 

 principal features of the Act as relating to the control of stock entering 

 the States, and what is required of the broker, the nurseryman, or 

 other party importing plants or plant products. The quarantines re- 

 lating to insects were referred to, and lantern slides of a number of 

 these quarantined insects and others collected by inspectors were 

 shown. Brief mention was made of the method of examining nursery 



