74 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Mafxh 3, 190G. 



INSECT NOTES. 



New MosquitoR from the West Indies. 



In the Journal nf Eamovni- Biology ("\'oI. I, no. 1), 

 reviewed on p. 77 of this i.ssue, there is a paper, by F. V. 

 Theobald, M.A., on ' New C'ulicidae from India, Africa, 

 British Guiana, and Australia.' 



Three species of British Guiana iiiosrjuitos mentioned 

 in this jiaper, which were collected at New Amsterdam by 

 Dr. Rf>wland, are described as new. 



The Canadinii Entomologist (Vol. XXXVII, no. 12) for 

 December 190.5, contains a paper 'Notes on .some Jamaica 

 Culicidae' by M. Grabham, JI.A., M.B. These note.s, 

 which are accomjiajiied by good drawings, describe two new 

 species and, in addition, give life-history notes and details 

 of structure of several other .species. 



In the February number of the Canadian Entomologist, 

 Mr. I). W. Coquillett presents a paper entitled 'Five New 

 Culicidae from the West Indies.' 



The specimens from which two of these .species are 

 described were collected in San Domingo by !Mr. Aucust 

 Busck, who spent some time last year in the West Indies 

 collecting mosc^uitos, and three new species are de.scribed 

 from specimens collected in Trinidad, by Jlr. F. W. Urich. 



The name*; of tiie new species mentioned in these notes 

 are as follows : — 



Briti.sh Guiana: (Jnophodnomyia inornata, Cuhx gimilis, 

 and Pseudouranotaenia rowlandii. 



Jamaica: Culex microsquamoms, Janthinosoma John- 

 stonii. 



Tymid-AA.: Melanoconion Urichii, Verrallina infolita, -and 

 TaenioHiynclius palliaiug. 



San Domingo: Stcgomyia mediovittata, Sti-goinyia 

 Bxisclcii.. 



Scale Insects from Antigua. 



The Hon. F. Watts, C.il.G., D.Sc, Las forwarded to the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture, some orange leaves 

 infested by scale insects stating that they seem to be new, 



E.\amination of these leaves shows that immature 

 specimens of one of the Shield scales {Lecanium sp.) are 

 present in small numbers. This is probably Lecaninm 

 heaj'eridum, which is known to occur in Antigua and other 

 Went Indian Islands on orange, lime, and a variety of other 

 plants. There appeared also, on the same leaves, a small 

 white fly (Aleyiodes sp.). This was in small numbers, 

 and only the empty puparia were found. These are black 

 \\-ith very few, short, wa.x filaments, and are probably the 

 white fly of the orange Ahyrodcs citii, an insect of \eiT wide 

 distribution. 



Scale Insect from Barbados. 



Jfr. J. R. Bovell, F L.S., F.C.S., in forwarding 

 specimens to the office of the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture, writes: 'I am sending, herewith, two leaves 

 taken from what appears to be a nutmeg plant, which was 

 imported from Trinidad, and fumigated to-day at the Govern- 



ment fumigatorium.' Mr. Bovell asks to be informed what 

 the scales are that ap])ear on the leaves. I'pon examination, 

 it was found that the leaves were infested with the mealy 

 shield scale {I'votojmlvinaria pyri/onnis), a pest which is 

 commonly found on nutmeg and many other plants, and 

 which has a very general distribution in the West Indies. 



Insects from Grenada. 



Mr. ];. D. Anstead, B.A., Agiicultural Superintendent, 

 Grenada, recently forwarded to the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture a few interesting specimens of insects which he 

 found at the Botanic Station. One of these, a small white 

 moth, is reported to attack Ramie, rolling up the leave.?, and 

 feeding inside the shelter thus obtained. Another was a large 

 beetle, the larva of which probably feeds on decaying wood. 

 The specimen sent was found on an old tree stump. 



A large wasp, of the family Sphecidae, was also among 

 the number. This is a very large sjiecimen, and black in 

 colour. Insects of this family have the habit of storing 

 their nests with insects for the young to feed upon, and ai^ 

 generally considered useful on that account. 



Two ^ery handsome metallic green beetles, of the family 

 Buprestidae, were also among the .specimens sent. The 

 larvae of this family are known as the flat-headed borers, and 

 are generally quite injurious. The adults, however, are 

 among the handsomest of tropical beetles, some of the larger 

 forms being mounted in gold settings for brooches, etc. 



DOMINICA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. CJeotiVey Downing, tlie Hon. Secretary of the 

 Dominica Agricultural Society, has forwarded to the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture the following 

 report of a meeting of the society held on February 10 

 lOOG:— ' ^ ' 



The A'ice-President opened the proceedings by referring 

 to correspondence which was taking place with the Quebec 

 Steamship Company, and proceeded to read a letter addressed 

 to ilessrs. A. E. Outerbridge ct Co., the New York agents for 

 the Quebec line, concerning the carriage of fruit from this 

 island in their ve.s.sels. 



In this letter it is suggested that ilessrs. Outerbridge 

 should authorize gentlemen specially appointed by the 

 Agricultural Society, to inspect the accommodation for and 

 storage of green limes on their vessels during the coming 

 .shipping sea.son, as a means of en.suring proper treatment 

 in transit. 



Correspondence between Dr. H. A. Alford Nicholls and 

 the Superintendent of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company 

 at Barbados then occujiied the attention of the meeting. In- 

 this it was pointed out that under the new arrangement, 

 oranges shipped to England in the R.il.S.F. Company's ve.s.sels[ 

 via Trinidad, arrived in London in a i-otten and perfectly 

 worthle.ss condition. Captain Owen agreed that, under 

 existing arrangements, he did not believe fruit could be 

 carried satisfactorily, but suggested as au alternative, that 

 the 'Yare' might be availed of to carry the fruit from this 

 island direct to Barbado.s, to connect there with the ocean 

 boat. The meeting requested the 'S'ice-President to approach 

 the local Government on the subject. 



The election of Officers and Council for the current 

 year resulted as follows : President, Dr. H. A. Alford 

 Nicholls, C.M.G. ;Yice-President, A. C.Shillingford, Esq., J. P.; 

 Hon. Treasurer, E. A. Agar, Esq.; Hon. Secretary,' 

 G. (i. Downing, Esq.; Members of the Council— ilessrs. J. 

 Jones, F. Potter, A. K. Agar, H. A. Frampton, A. J. Brooks 

 and Hon. J. Cox Fillan, M.L.C. 



