April, '14] SASSCER: ENTOMOLOGICAL INSPECTION 243 



Mango (Mangifera indica). Seeds of this plant have been received 

 from Mauritius, India, and Ceylon infested with the mango weevil. 

 In order to realize the danger of such a pest if established in mango- 

 growing sections, one has only to refer to Press Bulletin No. 17 of the 

 Hawaiian Experiment Station by Mr. D. L. Van Dine. Seeds of 

 mango have also been received from the Philippine Islands infested 

 with a species of Rhizoglyphus which appears to be a dangerous pest. 



Pistacia vera from Italy revealed a slight infestation with a scale 

 insect known scientifically as Diaspis gennadi Leonardi. This is the 

 first record of the appearance of this scale insect in America, and, in 

 fact, is the only reference to this coccid since its description in 1898 on 

 P. terebinthus from Greece. 



Sugar cane has been received from the Philippine Islands infested 

 with a species of Odonaspis. These canes also exhibited work which 

 resembled very much that of representatives of the genus Xyleborus. 

 In addition to the insects present, these canes were affected with a 

 fungus, and the entire shipment was burned. A similar shipment of 

 cane was received from Hawaii, and, owing to the fact that these plants 

 originated from a country known to harbor serious enemies of this 

 plant, they were ordered to be grown under supervision in the quaran- 

 tine house. After some little time it developed that the canes in 

 question were harboring eggs of the destructive leaf-hopper, Perkin- 

 siella saccharicida Kirkaldy. The object in making this importation 

 was to introduce into Porto Rico a special variety of sugar cane. Had 

 these cuttings been passed and allowed to go to their intended desti- 

 nation, it would doubtless have resulted in the establishment of the 

 sugar-cane leaf-hopper in this insular possession, eventually meaning 

 great financial loss to the cane growers. 



Date palm. A number of shipments of date palms imported from 

 Egypt were found to be infested with the date-palm scales, Phoenico- 

 coccus marlatti (Ckll.) and Parlatoria blanchardii (Targ.). These 

 coccids are of common occurrence on date palms and have been enter- 

 ing this country on these plants for a number of years. It is remark- 

 able how the former species can get down between the various leaf 

 sheaths of the plants in question. In fact, this scale has been found 

 between sheaths that were so tight that they could not be separated 

 without the aid of an ax. Secluding themselves as these coccids do, 

 it is very obvious that it requires a special effort to detect and con- 

 trol pests of this nature. 



Avocado. Avocado seeds have been received from Mexico and 

 Costa Rica infested with the avocado weevil (Heilipus lauri). Little 

 is known of the life history and habits and the possible injuiy occa- 

 sioned by this insect in its native habitat. Badly infested seeds are 



