332 



It is probable that the species has been introduced wherever its 

 food-phint grows. Specimens have been received during the past 

 two years from Brazil (Columbian Exposition), from Mr. T. D. A. 

 Cockerell, from Kingston, Jamaica, and from Mr. Hubbard, from Mont- 

 serrnt. West Indies. Some of the latter have been kept breeding in 

 tamarinds for nearly a year. The adults feed on some of the seeds of 

 cereals that have been confined with them, but there is as yet no 

 indication of the possibility of their breeding in them. 



Calandra ruriicoUis Cas. and Palembus ocularis Cas., both described 

 from an indefinite locality in Florida, are in the same category with 

 the above. The first was described from a single specimen taken in 

 southern Florida, and its food -habits and origin are unknown. The 

 second is undoubtedly exotic, and as its only known food-plant is the 

 same as that of Calandra linearis it is quite possible that these two 

 species have a common origin. It was received from Kingston, 

 Jamaica, November 17, 1892, from Mr. Cockerell, and duiing the pres- 

 ent year from Mr. Hubbard, from Moutserrat, in both cases in the pods 

 of tamarind infested with Calandra linearis. About ten years ago Mr. 

 H. K. Morrison found both species at Key West, Fla., and a good series 

 of this lot came into the possession of the late Mr. W. Juelich, from 

 whom Captain Casey received the type specimen. 



The two exotic scolytids, Crypliahis jalappa' Letz. and Coccofryjyes 

 dacti/liperda Fab., are also in this category. The former evidently lives 

 exclusively on commercial jalap and the latter on seeds of dates or nuts 

 of other palms. 



INJURIOUS INSECTS AND COMMERCE,* 



By L. O. Howard. 



That in commerce is the wealth of nations is a very old and well- 

 known truth; but that in commerce is also the means of destroying the 

 wealth of nations is an equal truth which has only become apparent in 

 comparatively late years. It is by commerce that injurious insects, 

 noxious weeds, and fungous and bacterial diseases of cultivated j)lants 

 have become and are becoming distributed over the face of the globe. 

 Animals and plants are naturally restricted in their spread; they are 

 confined by nature to certain so-called faunal and floral regions or 

 zones. Progressive agriculture and horticulture, however, have inter- 

 fered with this natural restriction, and by artificial cultivation and 

 forcing have succeeded in growing crops far away from their natural 

 surroundings. Their original natural enemies have followed these 

 crops, and, brought into contact with new insect enemies and diseases, 

 these have accommodated themselves to the new-coming plants, already 



* Read before the Peuiusula Horticultural Society at Dover, Del,, Jan. 11, 1895. 



