276 
thirty years behind the common knowledge in California on the Potato- 
worm question. He goes on to say that potato growers have had the 
Tuber-worm to contend with as far back as 1856. The only specific 
proof of the statement as to the “common knowledge” referred to 
which is given is that in October, 1892, the editor, in company with 
Prof. C. H. Dwinelle, secured specimens of infested potatoes from J. 
P. Thomas, a commission merchant of San Francisco, who had known 
the pest for twenty-five years. We must confess that Mr. Thomas’ 
statement is probably to be relied upon, as we know of no other insect 
which possesses this same habit and which could by anyone be mis- 
taken for this species. The joke, however, can hardly be said to focus 
on the Division, for neither potato growers nor dealers in California 
seem to have been aware of the facts mentioned by the Orchard and 
Farm, and we know of no previous published records than those we 
have called attention to. This Division has been in active correspond- 
ence with Californians for nearly fifteen years, and no one ever sent us 
specimens of this insect until 1891. Two agents of the Division of Ento- 
mology have been stationed in California for seven years, and no person 
interested ever brought this insect to the attention of either. Through 
its State Horticultural Society and its State Board of Horticulture, 
California has been publishing matter concerning injurious insects for 
fourteen years, and yet no mention of this insect has ever been made in 
any of the reports of these organizations. A large and comprehensive 
work on the injurious insects of California was published in 1882 by 
Matthew Cooke, who for some years had been officially connected with 
one of the State organizations in an entomological capacity, and in this 
book no hint is given as to the existence of such an insect. Ifthe persons 
interested in the suppression of an insect pest do not take the trouble 
to bring it to the attention of economic entomologists, the latter are 
hardly to be blamed if they remain in comparative ignorance of its 
existence, when, as in our case, there was no chance for personal obser- 
vation. 
A letter received late in September from Mr. Fritz Grasso, Baron 
Springs, Fredericksburg, Tex., stated that the Potato-tuber Worm was 
very abundant in his potato patch last year. Mr. Grasso stated that 
nearly every potato dug up in his patch was infested. In 189192 it 
was present, but by no means as abundant. In the month of July the 
moth was noticed on the housed potatoesin “dense swarms.” We 
have not learned from Mr. Grasso, up to the recent time, any facts as 
to first appearance, point of introduction, and distribution of the insect 
in Texas, but hope to obtain reliable information upon these points. 
HYMENOPTERA FROM LOWER CALIFORNIA. 
The Hymenoptera of the peninsula of Lower California have hitherto 
been but slightly known. Mr. Gustav Eisen, of the California Acad- 
emy of Sciences, and Mr. Chas. D. Haines have collected a number of ' 
