OF WASHINGTON. 289 



They use acetylene gas in the dwelling house, and a number of 

 Noctuids and Microlepidoptera, all species differing from those 

 known to me from Florida, are attracted by the light; also large 

 and small Blattidaa and quite a number of Coleoptera, which I 

 fail to find during daytime, the most interesting of them being a 

 Dacoderus, which may be different from the species described 

 by Dr. Horn from Santo Domingo. 



E. A. SCHWARZ. 



Dr. Howard said that Mr. Schwarz had found what may prove 

 to be the original food plant of the Cotton-boll Weevil (Ant/ion- 

 omus grandis Boheman), namely, the wild "kidney cotton" 

 ( Gossypium brasiliense?}. 



Dr. Hopkins read extracts from two letters from Mr. D. 

 Cappelen, Sandviken, Hovin P. O., Thelemarken, Norway, 

 concerning a recent destructive outbreak of the "'Pine Bombyx" 

 (Dendrolimus pini Linnaeus). Since the .outbreak of 1812 tq 

 1816, the writer states, this moth has not occurred in sufficient 

 numbers to cause serious damage, but last year one urea of 1,000 

 acres of redwood forest (Plnus sylvatica) was destroyed, as well 

 as other areas of from 50 to roo acres, while some 25,000 acres 

 were infested with larva?, and their destruction threatened the 

 coming season. The area of infestation was practically the same 

 as in 1812 to the east and northeast of Lake Mjosen. The cor 

 respondent stated also that at the time his first letter was written 

 (October 22. 1902), the larvae were to be found under the rein 

 deer moss (Cladonia rhangifcria}, which was covered with 

 three inches of snow. They seemed to be healthy specimens'and 

 practically free from fungus diseases. Mr. Cappelen was in 

 clined to attribute the enormous increase of the moth to the past 

 three or four very dry seasons. He hoped that steps would be 

 taken to test the value of different parasitic fungi, such as the 

 muscardine ( Cordyceps militaris) and Cordyceps melolonthce^ 

 in fighting the pest. The remedy most in vogue in preventing 

 the spread of the larva? was to apply a belt of German glue to the 

 trunks of the trees. Dr. Hopkins thought that it would be well 

 to guard against a possible introduction of the bombyx into North 

 America. 



Dr. Howard asked Dr. Hopkins what theory was put forth to 

 explain why there had been no outbreak between 1812 and the 

 present time in that locality. Dr. Hopkins replied that in 1812 



