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SHORT NOTES ON ECONOMICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



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I. COCOS NUCIFERA. 



1. Hispidae. A small beetle of the Hispid family has caused 

 considérable damage in a coconut-plantation in the Eastern parts 

 of Java, especially to the young folded up leaves. The beetle 

 is extremely flat and therefore is able to penetrate between the 

 leaflets. even when the latter are still strongly presser! together. 

 It pénétrâtes form both sides, so that it cornes as well between 

 the two halves of a leaflet as between two neighbouring leaflets. 



In this position it eats the epidermis of une side and the 

 green tissue of the leaf, avoiding the epidermis of the opposite 

 side, which soon after dies off and remains as a yellowish semi- 

 transparent layer. 



While doing this, the females deposit their numerous small, 

 yellow eggs, from which eqnally flat larvae develop themselves, 

 which proceed in the saine way as the adult ones. After being 

 fullgrown, thèse larvae pnpate in the same locality, from which 

 a new génération of beetles will fly ont witliin 8-- 10 days. 



When a young leaf lias been attacked by a considérable 

 number of beetles and larvae, it either grows too feeble to unfold 

 itself and soon dies off or, if still unfolding, it cannot be said 

 to be of any vaine to the tree. 



In case of the pest persisting for a long time, even the 

 whole tree may be lost; generally however it is discovered in 

 time by the yellow appearance of the young leaves. and the tree 

 can be saved by cutting off and burning them. 



The beetles hâve a length of + 9 mM. and are very slen- 

 der, the greatest breadth being 2 mM. As already remarked, 

 they are extremely flat. 



The head is yellowish brown and has a small spiniform 

 prominence between the black antenne. The prothorax lias the 

 same colour, its form is subquadrate with rather spinous angles. 



