120 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 



rendering the quarantine operations nearly useless. The worst scale- 

 insects are nearly all feeders on a number of different plants, including 

 ornamental ones. Sometimes, also, scales supposed to be confined to 

 ornamental plants will unexpectedly attack fruits and other crops. Thus, 

 Apidiotus dictyospermi Morgan, is common on green-house palms, but 

 Dr. Howard has just sent me quantities of it on fruit and leaves of orange 

 and twigs of peach, found by Mr. Koebele at Oaxaca, Mexico, Aug. 20, 

 1897, and Cuautla, Mexico, 1897,— at the latter place only on orange. 



6. I entirely disapprove of the clause in the bill referred to — leaving the 

 inspection to foreigners. It ought, unquestionably, to be done at the 

 United States ports; or when abroad, by agents of the United States 

 government. 



The various interstate regulations are still, I think, in a more or less 

 experimental stage, but I am very strongly of the opinion that the utility 

 of inspection and quarantine at the ports of entry has been amply demon- 

 strated by the Californian officers. — T. D. A. Cockerell. 



COMMENT BY THE EDITOR. 



Mr. Cockerell and myself are in practical accord. The only difference 

 is, that I talked to what was proposed; he is talking to what should be. 

 His first three points hinge on the appointment of an expert in foreign 

 countries and that is good policy. It is the policy pursued by Germany, 

 which led to the exclusion of American fruits, etc., to prevent the impor- 

 tation of the San Jos^ scale. Under 4 Mr. Cockerell is unquestionably 

 right when he confines himself to scale insects. Scale insects are pecu- 

 liarly easy of discovery, because of the fact that they are confined to the 

 plants, and, as a rule, not capable of being transported, except on the 

 plants that they infest. Aside from scale insects there is no telling how 

 many foreign insects were imported into California and have died out 

 naturally. On 5 and 6 there is no difference of opinion. 



It may be well to note that Mr. Craw has taken a very strong stand in 

 the same direction in a recent issue of the " Los Angeles Times." 



Notes and. News. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS 

 OF THE GLOBE. 



A Pjcture for album of the American Entomological Society has been 

 received from C. Few Seiss. 



I have found feeding on beach, pea and smart-weed, what I take to be 

 the larva of Mamestra picta. This larva has been called the zebra cater, 

 pillar by Dr. Melsheimer on account of its stripes. The larva of Papilio 

 philenor I have found on cultivated Aristolochia, and have reared eigh- 

 teen very pretty chrysalids, some of them being bright sulphur-yellow. 

 The peculiar case-bearing larvae of Perophora melsheimerii were taken 

 on oak last Fall and the larvae are now hibernating in their cases.— I. 

 Foster Moore, Jr., Bridgeport, Conn. , 



