June, '16] CURRENT NOTES 387 



The principal insects which act as disseminators of these diseases are the striped' and 

 twelve-spotted cucumber beetles and the tarnished plant-bug, while other insects 

 are imder suspicion. 



In Waldo Canyon, within the Pike National Forest, Colorado, at an altitude of 

 7,500 feet, an outdoor cage will be constructed surrounding and covering the main 

 trunk of a 20-inch diameter yellow pine tree, infested by Dendroctonus ponderosos 

 Hopk. The butt cut will be left intact and other sections stood up within the cage. 

 A study will be made by Messrs. W. D. Edmonston and George Hofer, Bureau of 

 Entomology, of the flight habits of this important tree destroyer. Other infested 

 trees in close proximity will also be utilized for study. 



The fig moth [Epheslia cautella Walk.) has been reported to the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology by ^Ir. M. M. High as occurring in new material. Moths have been reared 

 from Kafir corn and cowpeas, and also in alfalfa meal. This species has been treated 

 in detail in Bulletin 104, a list of food plants being given on page 19. It is one of the 

 several species of insects which have been found injuring cork in the heads of pop 

 bottles. We have also received specimens through the Federal Horticultural Board 

 occurring in yeheb nuts from Arabia. 



The broad-bean weevil, Laria rufimana Boh. (Bulletin 96, Part V, Bureau of 

 Entomology), has recently been ascertained to have a positive alternate food plant in 

 the garden pea. Numerous specimens were obtained in peas from Paris, France. 

 Thus far we have not received notice of this insect occurring in peas on the Pacific 

 Coast and agents of the Bureau and correspondents in California are urgently re- 

 quested to keep a lookout for it. The discovery of this new food plant will probably 

 render it impossible to stamp out the pest in the few regions where broad or Windsor 

 beans are grown, and which it is now known to infest. 



During the month it transpired that the British Steamship Appain, brought to 

 Norfolk, Va., as a German prize of war, had about two hundred tons of cotton seed 

 from West Africa as a part of its cargo. Messrs. Marlatt and Hunter of the Federal 

 Horticultural Board visited Norfolk and Newport News in connection with the dis- 

 position of this seed, which was found to be infested by the pink bollworm, Gelechia 

 gossypiella. A provisional sale of the seed by the Admiralty Court to an oil-mill in 

 North Carolina was set aside when the danger was explained. Arrangements were 

 immediately made for placing the entire lot in sulphuric-acid vats as a preliminary 

 to the conversion of the seed into fertilizer. As an additional precaution the holds 

 of the Appam were fumigated with hydrocyanic-acid gas under the supervision of 

 Mr. Morrison. 



The following changes in titles, rendering the designations of the heads of offices 

 more compatible with their specialized lines of work, are herewith announced : 

 C. L. Marlatt, Entomologist and Assistant Chief of Bureau. 



W. D. Hunter, Entomologist in Charge Southern Field Crop Insect Investigations. 

 A. L. Quaintance, Entomologist in Charge Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations. 



F. H. Chittenden, Entomologist in Charge Truck Crop and Stored Product Insect 

 Investigations. 



A. F. Burgess, Entomologist in Charge Preventing Spread of Moths. 



E. F. Phillips, Apiculturist. 



L. H. Worthley, Agent, Preventing Spread of Moths. 



G. F. White, Expert, Apicultural Investigations. 



E. A. Back, Entomologist, Mediterranean and Other Fruit-Fly Investigations. 



