54 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



Then followed the paper by Dr. Howard, entitled ''An Out 

 line Sketch of a Long Trip." On the lyth of August last he 

 had, with Mr. Clifton, left Washington for Denver, Colorado, to 

 attend the meeting of the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science. Among the organizations which met there 

 was the Association of Economic Entomologists. Their meeting 

 was very interesting, and one of the principal features was the 

 paper by Mr. Marlatt on " The Original Home of the San Jose 

 Scale." Mr. Marlatt gave it as his opinion, founded largely 

 upon his researches in Japan, that there is nothing to show that 

 the San Jose Scale is indigenous to that country. This view 

 was combatted by several of the entomologists in attendance at 

 that meeting. A thorough exploration of Japan, made by Mr. 

 Marlatt since that time, established the correctness of his asser 

 tion which was, moreover, conclusively settled by his discovery 

 of what is undoubtedly the true home of this pest in the northern 

 part of China. Here it lives on native food-plants and is held in 

 check by its natural insect enemies. 



About the first of September, Dr. Howard left Denver for 

 Houston, Texas, where he met Mr. Hunter, and with him spent 

 some time in that State investigating the Cotton-boll Weevil. 

 The mesquite was first seen by him near Fort Worth. A trip 

 was made to Austin to see Prof. Wheeler, who has been making 

 such valuable contributions to the life-history and habits of the 

 ants. Prof. Wheeler, however, was absent from there at that 

 time and he did not see him. 



At San Antonio he took the Mexico National Railroad direct 

 to Mexico City, where he intended to consult with Prof. Herrera, 

 Entomologist of the Mexican Government, concerning the Morel- 

 los Orange Fruit Worm. An interesting account was given of 

 the country through which the railroad passed, especially that 

 between Laredo and the city of Mexico. The occurrence of tree 

 yuccas, mesquite, and giant cactus was mentioned in particular. 



After leaving Mexico City, where he found Prof. Herrera and 

 spent some time with him, he took the Mexico Southern Rail 

 road for Puebla and Oaxaca. Other characteristic plants were 

 seen on this part of the journey, among them the century plant 

 and cacti of various species, notably the magnificent organ cactus 

 and the very large Opuntias. Most of the farm hands and labor- 



