February, '14] SCIENTIFIC NOTES 153 



The varieties injured were late clings and the extent of the injury was as great as 

 75 per cent. Only comparatively few trees were affected for the reason that not 

 many of the late varieties were in bearing at that time. There appears to be no 

 doubt as to the responsibihty of the moth in question as Mr. Alkire states that he, 

 personally, has observed the moth at work and that several of his workmen have 

 also seen it. He submitted samples of the moths, so there is no doubt as to the iden- 

 tity of the species. 



Spilogale feeding upon Peach-tree borer pupae. Mr. Alkire also called attention 

 to the value of the common pole-cat {Spilogale interruptans) as an insect destroyer. 

 He states that in worming peach trees, especially in August, he has repeatedly found 

 traces of this animal and has seen where it had removed the pupse of the peach-tree 

 borer from the soil, and that one afternoon he, with several workmen, was worming 

 trees and saw the pole-cat going from tree to tree and searching for the pupae which 

 it dug out and devoured. 



L. M. Peairs, Morgantown, W. Va. 



Occurrence of the Argentine Ant in Texas. On January 5, 1914, the writer 

 visited Beaumont, Texas, and found a heavy infestation by Iridomyrmex humilis 

 Mayr. throughout a considerable portion of the business and residential sections of 

 the city. The evidence of citizens interviewed indicates that the insect has been 

 established in this locality for the past five years and the infestation is fuUy as heavy 

 as at pomts in Louisiana and Mississippi which have been infested for a similar 

 I)eriod. 



The occurrence of the ant at this point, on the main line of the Southern Pacific 

 Railway, confirms previous observations to the effect that most rapid dissemination 

 takes place along the lines of heavy railway traffic. 



WiLMoN Newell. 

 College Station, Texas. 

 January 7, 191 4- 



