63 



children, who with a grass stem as their weapon, pry down these holes. 

 On putting in the grass stem and watching it for a few seconds, it will 

 be seen to move and if it is pulled out sharply on the instant with a 

 sudden jerk ; the larvge of a small beetle will be also pulled out. 

 This is known to be the larvae of a species of '' tiger beetle" family 

 Cicindelidce and genus Tetracha ? but which particular species it is 

 to be referred to we are as yet somewhat uncertain. 



No. 8.— Coccidae. 



I recently sent some specimens of Coccid« to Professor T. D. A. 

 Cockerell who is a recognised authority on this class of insects. The 

 following is his Eeport : — 



" Icerya Bosce B. & H., Hab. At foot of Amherstia — a good 

 addition to the Trinidad Fauna. It is common in Jamaica under the 

 bark of Lignum-vit^, and it is usually attended by ants. It was 

 found on Amherstia also in Jaiuaica ; vide Journal Institute, 

 Jamaica, Vol. I." The male is unknown. 



Chionaspis citri Comstock (a few larval Orthesia also.) I do 

 net wonder you call this a pest. It was said to have caused dx'eadful 

 destruction in Bermuda. — (See my article in Jamaica Botanical 

 Bulletin.) Fortunately it is not yet found in Jamaica nor I think in 

 the Lesser Antilles. I suppose however it will get there, sooner or 

 later. 



The record referred to states, that a vessel arrived at Bermuda in 

 distress with a cargo of oranges, and in a few months afterwards the 

 orange trees were covered with an insect which gave the trees the 

 appearance of being white-washed. " Every device thought of was 

 tried, but the Island was soon cleared of nearly every tree and all 

 this came from the distress cargo." {See Article 110.) 



It is therefore seen from the above that we have in our midst a 

 dangerous enemy to the citrus tribe for it attacks alike the orange, 

 the lime, the lemon, and the citron, &c. There is one thing to be 

 said however, and that is — that the insect is known not to be a recent 

 introduction, and it does not appear with us to spread at all rapidly. 

 and though trees may be affected, yet they continue to grow fixirly 

 well, and to bear fruit. It is quite possible hoAvever, that the heavy 

 rainy weather we experience at some seasons of the year, acts as a 

 check upon the increase of the insect, and that unless trees are in 

 poor health or in bad soil it will not destroy them. It is probably 

 checked also in no small degree by one of the Embidce which appears 



