December, ’20] FERRIS: INSECTS OF LOWER CALIFORNIA 
467 
I saw no evidence whatsoever of the existence of any kind of fruit 
flies within this area. Neither were any Aleyrodids seen on cultivated 
hosts. 
Malaria carrying mosquitoes are present as I can testify from per¬ 
sonal experience. I contracted a case of malaria that was diagnosed 
by a physician on my return to the United States as the tertian form. 
The number of insect pests observed is surprisingly small. It is 
true that the observation of economic insects was but a part of the 
purpose of the expedition, but I am convinced that enough work was 
done to reveal all the forms of major importance. The reason is 
undoubtedly to be found in the isolation of the country and the small 
amount of traffic between this and other countries in agricultural and 
horticultural products. As confirmation of this I may note that al¬ 
though the primary purpose of the expedition was to search for scale 
insects I found but twelve presumably introduced species out of 
seventy-eight taken, whereas probably nearly half of the species of 
scale insects known in the United States are introduced. 
It should be noted, however, that the time of my visit (July to August) 
was by no means the most favorable for making obervations in regard 
to insects, as this is the dry season. Also I may note that in Septem¬ 
ber of the preceding year the country had been swept by one of the 
most terrific storms “ within the memory of the oldest inhabitant.” 
The effects of this storm were still felt and conditions were obviously 
abnormal. For instance, I was informed that the leaves had been 
absolutely stripped from the orange trees and that the infestation of 
red scale had thereby been much reduced. Doubtless the same 
reduction had taken place in the case of other insects also. 
It may be well to call attention to the fact that although this region 
lies technically within the tropics its fauna bears a very close relation 
to that of southwestern United States. It is to be expected that any 
insect which will thrive in the latter area will thrive likewise in the 
Cape Region of Lower California. 
Chairman A. L. Melander: The next paper “The Fitness of the 
Waters of the Santa Clara Valley for the Making of Spray Solutions,” 
by Mr. E. R. DeOng, will be read by the Secretary. 
(Withdrawn for publication elsewhere.) 
Chairman A. L. Melander: I have been requested to read the 
next paper prepared by Mr. A. C. Maxson. 
