54 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



of a worm which damages the fruit of the orange, boring into 

 the pulp and rendering it unfit for eating purposes. It has been 

 described to us by non-naturalists as a large white worm of per 

 haps an inch in length, of which no sign could be seen from the 

 outside of the fruit. The existence of such a fruit-worm in 

 Mexico has always seemed important to us on account of the 

 danger of importation into the orange-growing regions of the 

 United States, and we have several times instructed our agents 

 who were visiting New Orleans, into the markets of which 

 Mexican oranges are largely imported, to search for infested 

 fruit. Mr. Howard, in 1884, ascertained that the fruit dealers 

 in New Orleans were familiar with the existence of such a worm, 

 but during the time at his disposal he was unable to obtain speci 

 mens. In the summer of 1887, how r ever, Mr. Bruner went to 

 Mexico upon leave of absence for a collecting trip, and was 

 urged, incidentally to the other objects of his trip, to look into 

 this matter and to secure specimens, if possible, of the worm in 

 question. He ascertained from conversation with intelligent 

 Mexicans that there were probably three worms which injured 

 the fruit of the orange in that country. The one was a worm 

 which w r orks only in the skin of the fruit in the States of Micho- 

 acan and Jalisco, but which, from description, appeared to be a 

 Tortricid. Another worm was described as being short and 

 thick and working inside the fruit in the same States. He was 

 unable to learn of any worm in the fruit in the States bordering 

 the Gulf of Mexico. The third worm was found by Mr. Bru 

 ner, and the imago obtained from specimens which he brought 

 home. These proved to be Trypeta ludens, according to Loew's 

 excellent description and figure." 



According to Mr. Bruner's notes, this worm was found most 

 abundant in oranges raised in the State of Morelos, 100 miles 

 south of the City of Mexico, and fruit from that State was very 

 liable to be infested. He first discovered the worms in an orange 

 he had opened to eat, and a second one containing maggots came 

 to his notice on the train. None of the fruit showed outward 

 signs of occupancy by insect larvas. Returning to Nebraska 

 early in December, Mr. Bruner placed the infested oranges in a 

 breeding-jar from which he reared the first adult fly February 9. 

 This was the first time the fly had been bred, and has not been 

 bred since, except by the present writer, so far as I am aware. 



On the loth of January, the present year, while residing in 

 Champaign, Illinois, my wife called my attention to an orange, 

 bought from a local dealer, which contained a number of worms. 

 Two days later Prof. T. J. Burrill of the University of Illinois 

 brought me half an orange, also from the local market, in the 



