26 
A short time ago one of the papers published in Los Angeles con- 
tained a very sensational article, stating that this colony of ladybirds 
had increased at an astonishing rate and had spread all over the 
orchard. This statement, which came very wide of the mark, naturally 
caused a commotion among the fruit-growers, and for fear that during 
my absence they might carry off colonies to place in their own orchards 
and thus deplete the original colony, I agreed with the Los Angeles 
County horticultural commissioner, Mr. John Scott, that it would be 
advisable for the board of supervisors of the said county to employ a 
man to guard the colony until I could get permission to engage such a 
person under pay from the United States Division of Entomology. This 
the supervisors consented to do, and employed for this purpose Mr. 
John Aerni, who had rented the Kercheval place and who could thus 
be upon it almost constantly. Upon receiving your letter of 10th 
instant, authorizing me to employ a person to guard this colony of lady- 
birds, I at once relieved the supervisors of their charge and employed 
Mr. Aerni for this purpose. 
The colony of Orcus chalybeus, which I established in the orange grove 
of Mr. William Niles in the city of Los Angeles, has not done as well as 
the one just referred to. This colony originally consisted of about 540 
specimens, and was placed upon the orange tree in May, 1892. At the 
present time it is doubtful if a hundred specimens of these ladybirds 
in their different stages could be found in this orchard. The conditions 
appear to be identical with those existing in the Kercheval grove, and 
it is singular that the present colony has not thrived so well as the one 
referred to above. 
Of the other beneficial insects imported from Australia and liberated 
in this vicinity I have as yet been unable to find a specimen.* Still, it is 
quite evident that they are established here, but in such small numbers 
that it might require many hours searching before even a single speci- 
men could be discovered. This is the case with the Dipterous parasite 
of the Icerya, which was imported under your directions in the winter 
of 1888-'89. It is very rarely that a specimen of this parasite can 
be found. Last spring a small colony of them was found in the eastern 
part of this city, and a few weeks ago I found a single specimen in a 
widely separated locality. So we may reasonably expect that in the 
course of time these recently imported beneficial insects will also put 
in their appearance. 
B. — REPORT BY ALBERT KOEBELE. 
I left San Francisco by steamer for Santa Barbara on August 14 
and arrived at the latter place on the evening of the following day. 
Mr. Alexander Craw, of the State board of horticulture, arrived the 
same evening, with the intention of inspecting the bugs at Mr. Cooper's 
* It is necessary in this connection, in order to account for apparent discrepancies, 
to state that Mr. Coquillett was unable to obtain admission to the Santa Barbara 
orchard of Mr. E. Cooper. — Eds. 
