5« THE REPORT <>F TBE 19 



able that a longer time is required for the destruction of trees from this cause in this 

 region ; for we have records of an apple orchard at Scituate, Mass., planted in 1892 with 

 infested trees two or three years old, of which about 90 per cent., although very badly 

 affected, were alive in 1897, at which time remedial measures were applied. Since a 

 Japanese quince with vigorous roots will throw out an abundance of new shoots year 

 after year as the old wood dies off, the continued infestation since 1884 of the bushes 

 previously mentioned does not seem beyond the limits of possibility." 



Quite recently, some exceptions have been taken to the statement that I made in 

 my paper last year, presented to the Entomological Society of Ontario, in which I used 

 these words, "I have been able to prove almost conclusively that Japan is the original 

 home of the San Jose Scale." The arguments against this are that Mr. Koebele and 

 some of the Japanese entomologists searched for San Jose Scale in Japan, but did not 

 find it. If this means anything at all, it might mean that the scale was present but kept 

 thoroughly in subjection by its natural enemies, and perhaps some other resistent ele- 

 ments of which we are, as yet, unacquainted. Another argument is that the scale may 

 have been introduced into Japan, from California, and was now, for the first time, being 

 received back again from that country. At present, we have no record of any very old 

 introductions of nursery stock from Oalifornia into Japan, and if there were, it would be 

 difficult to prove, or even to show evidence that these were infested with the San Jose 

 Scale. The nursery stock that I have myself examined came direct from Japan, and 

 gave every possible indication of its having been quite numerous where the stock was 

 grown ; and the occurrence differed very materially in appearance from the ordinary oc- 

 currence upon nursery stock, as witnessed in this country. Up to the present time, I see 

 no reason whatever for modifying the statements that I have made. I do not claim that 

 there is, as yet, conclusive proof that the scale came to us originally from Japan, but that 

 the evidence points almost conclusively in that direction, I feel as confident as I 

 did when I prepared my previous statements. Of course, there is nothing left to do but 

 trust to time and future investigations to solve the problem. Entomologists in Japan 

 can certainly throw a great deal of light upon this problem, and if the question can be 

 settled, finally, either in the affirmative or negative, I shall be entirely satisfied. I do 

 not care a straw whether the San Jose Scale is, originally, a native of Japan or not, but 

 I do care a great deal as an entomologist, to know just the fact in the case, not as a 

 matter of self-interest but as a scientific fact. 



SOME NOTES ON THE LARVAL HABITS OF THE GRAY HAIR-STREAK 



BUTTERFLY. 



( Uranotes melinus, Hubn. ) 



By F. M. Webster,' Wooster, Ohio. 



The larvae of the Gray Hair-streak have long been known to injure beans by earing 

 their way into the pods and devouring the young growing beans therein. In Insect Life, 

 Vol. VII, p. 354, the statement is made that these larvae, though long known as in- 

 jurious to the hop, had also been known to injure young beans in New Jersey, District of 

 of Columbia and California. 



On July 3, 1899, a correspondent of mine, Mr. Henry Hurd, Carthagenia, Ohio, sent 

 me a pea pod in which he had found a worm of some sort, eating the peas. The pod 

 reached me in good condition, and clearly indicated the seriousness of the attack, but the 

 depredator had eaten out of the box and through the wrapper, and doubtless was lost in 

 the mail sack. On July 10, Mr. Hurd sent a second larva, which reached me alive, but 

 it never developed. Mr. Hurd stated the first one sent, ate three grown peas and 

 gnawed into a second pod within the space of a few minutes. 



