Feb. '08] JOURNAL OP ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 31 



It is impossible to state at the outset just what material may or may 

 not produce Cecidomyiidae, since we have bred a species of Lasioptera 

 from an apparently normal Diervilla stem only Yg of an inch in 

 diameter. 



Afternoon Session, Friday, December 27, 1907. 



The session was called to order at 1 p. m. and the presidential 

 address was discussed. 



Mr. J. B. Smith stated that he considered the address very timely. 

 He believed, however, that owing to the recent extension of the field 

 of the economic entomologist that there is danger that he may uncon- 

 sciously get out of his proper field of work. In insecticide investiga- 

 tions the entomologist should secure the cooperation of the chemist. 

 He is satisfied that the diseases of the brown-tail and gypsy moths had 

 destroyed more of the insects than the parasites, but in this field the 

 work of the plant pathologist is needed. Certain cranberry insects 

 have modified the entire plan of cranberry culture, while in the mos- 

 quito campaign in New Jersey, where about 15,000 acres of salt marsh 

 have been drained by the construction of over 2,200,000 feet of ditches, 

 the problem has become one of engineering to a large extent. He 

 believed that when we get outside the range of entomology, experts 

 in the allied sciences should be consulted. 



Several other members expressed their appreciation of the address. 



Mr. Newell presented the following paper: 



NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE ARGENTINE OR "NEW 

 ORLEANS" ANT, IRIDOMYRMEX HUMILIS MAYR. 



By WiLMON Newell, Baton Rouge, La. 



It is not often that the economic entomologist is privileged to be- 

 hold the coming of a new and dangerous pest, to see its numbers rap- 

 idly increasing for several years before it attracts more than casual 

 attention from the "layman," and yet be practically powerless to 

 avert the threatened catastrophe. 



An insect problem practically unheard of by the majority of the 

 members of this Association, is now presenting itself in the State of 

 Louisiana, and will shortly present itself to most if not all of the 

 southern portion of this country. It is, withal, a problem which in 

 the writer's humble opinion will rank in magnitude alongside the 

 problems presented by the San Jose scale, gypsy moth and boll weevil, 

 but in marked contrast to these it is not likely to admit of remedial 

 measures being as easily applied. 



