(Diplosis nigra [?], Meigen.) Order Diptera; Family Cecidomyidse.

We have for some time been interested in an insect which has appeared in a limited region near Meriden, Conn., confined almost entirely to the large fruit farm of Messrs. Coe Bros. In the spring of 1881 these gentlemen had some slight correspondence with the Department, of which no mention has been made in the reports, and there the matter was dropped until June, 1884, when they wrote to us in reference to the matter.

As will be seen by what follows, there is every reason to believe that this is an introduced species; that it has been introduced within quite recent years, and that it is so far confined to a very limited region. It is for these reasons that we call particular attention to it now, as we did at the meeting of the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society held in New Orleans last January, where we urged, as we would now urge, that some decisive steps be taken to stamp it out. If, as we now believe, this new pest is confined to the orchards of the Messrs. Coe and such as immediately adjoin them, it seems to us that some such society as the American Pomological Society would be justified in empowering a committee to especially look into the matter and effectually destroy the pear crop within the limits of the insect's present distribution in this country for two or three consecutive years, compensating, if need be, the owners for the loss of their crops.

In view of the immense losses sustained within the last twenty-five years by the spread of introduced injurious insects, which might in the beginning have been stamped out or kept out by proper concert of action, we cannot urge too strongly such action in this case.

In order to learn all possible facts in reference to the insect, we had Mr. Smith visit the locality, instructing him to collect a large amount of material, to ascertain whether the larva leaves the the fruit for pupation before the fruit falls or afterwards, and more particularly to collect all facts bearing upon its possible importation and upon its distribution. Mr. Smith's report was published in our last annual report (pp. 396 - 398) and need not be repeated here.