February, '17] SCIENTIFIC NOTES 225 



The Clover Weevil in Iowa. The following note on Hypera punctata, in Iowa 

 may be of interest taken in connection with the recent records of James W. McCol- 

 lough (Jour. Econ. Ent. vol. 9, p. 455) in Kansas. 



So far as I know the first record of this species in Iowa is a previous record of my 

 own (Jour. Econ. Ent., vol. 3, p. 502) which reports its occurrence at Burlington 

 in April, 1910. A year or two later Prof. H. F. Wickham collected it at Iowa City, 

 although I believe no published record has been made of this. The insect was not 

 brought to my attention in Iowa again until November, 1914, when I observed larvee 

 at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, about thirty miles west of Burlington, November 12. Two 

 days later larvfe were seen feeding on clover at Davenport. 



April 8, 1915, larvaj were observed fairly common on clover at Clarinda in south- 

 western Iowa. This was the first record in the western part of the state. April 21, 

 1915, I found it at Ames, in central Iowa; May 10 on alfalfa at Council Bluffs in 

 extreme western Iowa; May 11 on alfalfa at Red Oak in Southwestern Iowa. 



In northeastern Iowa larvae were again observed on clover. May 11 and 12, 1916,, 

 at Dubuque, Bellevue and Cascade; nearby localities. 



From these records it is likely that the insect occurs aU through southern Iowa and 

 probably most of eastern Iowa. 



R. L. Webster. 



Pink Boll Worm. November 1 specimens of cotton bolls showing the presence 

 of Gelechia gossypiella were received at the Bureau of Entomology. They came 

 from San Pedro de las Colonias, Mexico. This was the first record of the occurrence 

 of this important pest in America. Investigation indicates that it was introduced 

 into Mexico through Egyptian seed imported for experimental purposes. The first 

 step taken to protect the country against this pest was an absolute quarantine on 

 Mexican cotton seed and bales of lint, which became effective on November 4. All 

 shipments of Mexican cotton seed which have entered the country since July 1 have 

 been traced to their destinations and strong effoi'ts are being made in cooperation 

 with state officers and the Texas Cottonseed Crusher's Association to have it crushed 

 without delay. A somewhat reassuring feature of the situation is that the great bulk 

 of the seed imported was more than one year old and could not have earned any 

 infestation. It wiU be necessary, however, to make very frequent inspections in 

 Texas next season and to be prepared to stamp out any colonies which may have 

 become established. In the meantime, if possible, a thorough exploration may be 

 made in Mexico. Messrs. Hunter, T. C. Barber, Loftin, Dove, and Bishopp were 

 engaged in work connected with this emergency during November. The outbreak 

 in the Lagune District of Mexico is probably of two or three years' standing, but has 

 probably only begun extensive spread in this district during the last year, and no 

 instance of actual infestation has so far been discovered in the seed that has been 

 brought into Texas. The occurrence of this insect in Mexico presents one of the 

 gravest dangers which has ever confronted the cotton crop of this country, and unless 

 the pink boll worm can be exterminated by cooperative work between the United 

 States and Mexican authorities its ultimate infestation of the cotton fields of the 

 Southern States is a practical certainty. 



Insecticides Purer. That the Insecticide and Fungicide Act of 1910 has re- 

 sulted in marked improvement in the quaUty of insecticides and fungicides entering, 

 interstate commerce is shown by the annual report of the Insecticide and Fungicide 

 Board for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1916. Persistent sampUng of four of the 

 leading substances used in spraying shows a marked reduction in the number of vio- 

 lations of the act compared to preceding years. In 1915 only 8 per cent of the sam- 



