destructive  to  the  majority  of  ferns,  but  will  not  attack  flowering 
plants/’  Mr.  von  Tempsky  was  so  advised. 
Algaroba  Caterpillar. — In  accordance  with  your  instructions 
to  investigate  immediately  the  alleged  destruction  of  algaroba 
flowers  by  a caterpillar  I devoted  time  to  observation  of  these 
flowers  in  the  vicinity  of  my  home  and  office  as  well  as  during 
collecting  excursions  on  Sundays.  I also  enlisted  the  coopera- 
tion of  some  of  my  colleagues  in  the  other  offices,  and  have  be- 
sides questioned  people  directly  concerned  in  the  bean  crop.  The 
conclusions  I draw  from  all  these  sources  is  that  the  dark  cater- 
pillar, the  particular  one  referred  to  as  occurring  so  numerously, 
feed  largely  if  not  entirely  on  dead,  defunct  flowers.  It  has  been 
repeatedly  observed  among  old  flowers  of  algaroba,  coffee,  mango, 
etc.  Because  mealy  bugs  often  hide  in  similar  locations,  the  cater- 
pillar was  by  some  supposed  to  be  feeding  on  these.  Because  of 
this  habit  Mr.  Swezey  proposes  to  call  it  omnivora.  The  bean 
crop,  wherever  observed,  seems  to  be  generous,  and  finally  I was 
informed  by  a botanist  that  the  catkin  normally  loses  most  of  its 
flowers.  There  is  accordingly,  at  least  so  far,  no  reason  to  ex- 
pect serious  damage  from  this  caterpillar.  The  variety  of  bean 
weevils  attacking  the  pods  is  mjore  serious,  so  that  Dr.  Wilcox’s 
work  on  parasites  of  these  is  timely  and  very  welcome.  Mr. 
Renear’s  bean  grinding  machine  should  also  help  keep  these 
weevils  down. 
Plant  Pest. — Specimens  of  the  erroneously  called  “German  Ivy” 
( Senecio  mikanioides) , a well  known  pest  on  the  Parker  Ranch, 
Hawaii,  were  brought  to  the  office  badly  infested  by  a bug.  Mr. 
Kirkaldy  kindly  identified  the  animal  as  Nysius  sp.,  but  extends 
no  hope  that  it  will  damage  the  “Ivy”  to  any  extent. 
By  leave  of  the  President,  Mr.  Kuhns,  the  inspector’s  assist- 
ant, was  absent  on  Maui  from  the  17th  to  the  23d  of  the  month. 
Mr.  Robert  Miller,  the  temporary  assistant  in  inspection,  was  re- 
lieved from  duty  on  the  last  of  the  month  and  Mr.  L.  Lewis  en- 
gaged in  his  place. 
At  the  request  of  Mr.  Blackman  I undertook  to  edit  the  “For- 
ester” for  August.  For  this  purpose  I made  good  use  of  Dr.  Sil- 
vestri’s  paper  on  our  entomological  work,  which  we  had  translated 
from  the  Italian.  This  paper  being  rather  lengthy,  the  number 
will  be  almost  wholly  entomological.  It  will  be  a very  interesting 
number  and  efforts  will  be  made  to  have  it  read  widely. 
Very  respectfully, 
Jacob  Kotinsky, 
Superintendent  of  Entomology. 
