128 



yellow spot on the center above, witli a white or yellowish dot at the extreme tip. 

 The trout wings, in pale specimens, with yellowish reflections in the cells, particu- 

 larly toward the apical margin, and with the veins yellow or pale brown ; in darker 

 specimens, with a brownish, grayish, or black shade in the cells and with the veins 

 pale brown or black. Forceps of the male, viewed from the side, always as long as 

 the genital plate, narrow, acutely pointed, sickle shaped, the apex recurved and 

 having a tooth-like projection at the base. PsyUapyri L. 



(&) Basal two-thirds of the frontal cones or protuberances red or reddish brown; 

 the apical one-third white or yellowish. The front wings, including the veins, even 

 in dark specimens, of a pale wine yellow, somewhat lighter colored at the base 

 than at the apex, and without any markings whatever. The forceps of the male, 

 viewed from the side, two-thirds the length but distinctly narrower than the genital 

 plate, straight, and of almost uniform width to the middle, from which point it 

 gradually narrows to the pointed apex. Psylla pyricola Foerst. 



J. Scott mentions Psylla simulans Foerst., on pear trees but Loew 

 only found this species upon apple in connection with P. pyricola. P. 

 simulans is distinguished from P. pyri, with which it is nearest allied, 

 by the front wings being transparent even in the youngest individuals 

 with brownish or blackish shades in the cells. The tip of the clavus is 

 larger with more black and in the hind basal cell there is a brownish 

 or blackish stripe along the whole fold of the clavus in the male just as 

 in P. pyricola, but a little brighter. In other respects it agrees with 

 P. pyri. 



THE FIRST INTRODUCTION OF BLASTOPHAGA PSENES INTO CALI- 

 FORNIA. 



By GUSTAV EiSEN, San Francisco, Cal. 



The Blastopliaga psenes or Capri Fig Wasj) was introduced into Cali- 

 fornia last August for the first time. The history of the introduction 

 of this insect is in short as follows: 



In the fall of 1890 I visited the orchard and nursery of Mr. James 

 Shiun, of Niles, Alameda County, Cal., for the purpose of comparing 

 the various Smyrna fig varieties growing on his place. These figs had 

 been introduced here some ten years previously by the San Francisco 

 Bulletin Company direct from Smyrna. They consist of three distinct 

 varieties of edible figs and of one tree of the Capri Fig or Wild Fig. 

 These Smyrna varieties have never borne any perfect figs, the crop drop- 

 ping oft' before the figs begin to mature. During my visit I called Mr. 

 Shinn's attention to the necessity of introducing the Blastophaga psenes, 

 and as the Capri Fig growing on his place was the only large tree of 

 the kind in California, it would only be necessary to have the first 

 colony of insects placed there. Mr, Shinn then mentioned that he had 

 a friend in Smyrna, a certain missionary, Mr. J. Bliss, who could possi- 

 bly be made to interest himself in our case. I gave some advice as to 

 how the importation should be made and left the correspondence to Mr. 

 Shinn. 



