416 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Nov., '13 



King George's Interest in Entomology. 



We note, with interest, in The Entomologist, for July, 1913, that 

 at a recent meeting of the Entomological Society of London it was 

 announced that H. M. the King had been pleased to become a patron 

 of the Society. It is said to be "the first occasion when the Sover- 

 eign has demonstrated officially his interest in our branch of science 

 and the work associated with it." We likewise "offer, therefore, our 

 brother entomologists (across the seas), hearty congratulations upon 

 the honor conferred on them." 



The Largest Living Insects (Orthoptera). 



Dr. Yngve Sjostedt has recently described a new species of Phasmid, 

 or Walking Stick, from Nyassa, East Africa, as Palophus titan, stating 

 that it is the largest winged Orthopter yet known. The only specimen 

 is a female having a body-length of 26.3 cm. ( 10 5-16 inches) and the 

 hind wing 11.2 cm. (4% inches) long. The front wing is very much 

 smaller, 3-7 cm. (i 7-16 inches) in length. A life-size colored figure 

 accompanies the description (in Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens 

 Handlingar, Band 50, No. 6, 1913) and shows the hind wings to be pur- 

 ple, banded and spotted with pale yellow. A table of comparative meas- 

 urements of other Phasmidse is given from which it appears that sev- 

 eral wingless species exceed Palophus titan in body-length, the largest 

 being Phobaeticus kirbyi Redt., of Borneo, and Pharnacia scrratipcs 

 Gray, of Pulo-Penang, Malabar and Borneo, in both of which the body 

 is 33 cm. (13 inches) long. These are the largest species of living in- 

 sects, although the Protodonate Megancura monyi Brongniart, of the 

 Carboniferous of Saint-Etienne, France, had a body 35 cm. (13^4 

 inches) long and a wing-expanse of 64 cm. (25^ inches). 



Notice of Public Hearing on the Alligator Pear Weevil (Coleop.). 



The Department of Agriculture has information that a danger- 

 ous enemy of avocados (alligator pears), known as the avocado 

 weevil (Heilipus lauri), exists in Hawaii, Porto Rico, Mexico and 

 other foreign countries. Owing to the rapid increase of avocado 

 culture in this country, and especially in California, there is grave 

 danger of introducing this insect through the importation of seed, 

 which may contain partly developed larvte of this insect. The avo- 

 cado weevil lives within the seed of the avocado and so far no thor- 

 oughly successful method is known of disinfecting or otherwise 

 treating such seeds so as to kill the insect, without destroying the 

 germinative vitality of the seed. It is hoped, however, that investi- 

 gations now under way will discover an effective method of treat- 

 ment under which importation of avocado seed can be permitted. In 

 the meantime it is the duty of the Secretary of Agriculture to con- 

 sider (in accordance with Sections 7 and 8 of the Plant Quarantine 

 Act of August 20, 1912), the advisability of prohibiting the importa- 

 tion of avocado seeds and avocado fruits from all foreign countries 

 in which this insect is known to occur. 



In compliance with the Act, a public hearing will be held at the 

 Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., at 10 o'clock on No- 

 vember 18, 1913, at which all persons interested, or their attorneys, 

 may be present and have an opportunity to be heard concerning the 

 establishment of a quarantine against all avocado seeds and avocado 

 fruits coming to the continental United States. 



