458 KXPERTMENT STATION RECORD. 



Second annual report of the committee of control of the South African 

 central locust bureau, C. Fullkk (.l/(//. Iii>f- Coiintiillcc Control No. African 

 Cenf. Locust Jiiir., .> (WOS), pp. 86).— This, the second report (E. S. II., 21, 

 p. 451), is pref=ented in 2 parts. 



In part 1 (pp. l-W), whicli relates to locust destruction in South .Mricii in 

 1907-S, a summary of the work is tirst given, followed by detailed reports of 

 the British administrations, German Southwest Africa, and Mozambique, upon 

 which it is based. 



The occurrence of the locusts and the work of control in Cape Colony is 

 leported upon by C. P. Lounsbury ; in Natal, by A. Kelly ; in the Transvaal, by 

 C. W. Howard: in the Orange River Colony, by R. .7. Davys; in Rhodesia, by 

 W. Honey: in Hasutoland, by L. Wroughton : in Bechuanaland Protectorate, 

 by B. May and W. I). McKellar : in Swaziland, by I>. Honey: and in Mozanil)ique, 

 by .1. Yaldez. Egg parasites are reiutrted to have been present in Natal in 

 unusual numbers, two-thirds of the eggs laid being thus destroyed. Tlie amoiuit 

 of good done by locust birds all over the sul)coutinent was unprecedented. 



In part 2 (pp. 61-85), the minutes and i)roceedings of the second annual 

 meeting of the committee of control of this bureau, held at Durban, Niital, 

 August 10-11, 1008, are presented. 



Army worms and cutworms on sugar cane in the Hawaiian Islands, O. H. 

 SwEZEY {Huiroiinn Siifjdr I'la liters' Sta., Dir. iliit. liid. 7, pp. 5-32, pis. 3). — Of 

 the 35 species of cutworms and army worms known in the Hawaiian Islands. 

 the majority are native and live mostly in the mountains or high plains. Only 

 four of the native species have so far l)ecome pests in cane fields, the others 

 having apparently been kept in check by their parasites and other enemies, or 

 have remained at higher elevations than the cane fields. Eight of the more 

 important species are here considei-ed and accounts given of the habits and 

 life history so far as known. 



The army worm is the most injurious of these pests in cane fields in Hawaii, 

 usually occurring in lowlands and grassy regions. Although the moths breed 

 more or less the year round they ai-e more prolific, or breed more favorably frf)m 

 November to April. In connection with other cutworms they sometimes strip 

 the leaves of the cane, leaving nothing but midribs. 



Cirphis nmt)lyc<ts:is, a native species closely resembling the army worm, does 

 not occur in sufficient numbers to be injurious. It feeds on various grasses of 

 the lowland and has )>een found in the higher cane fields of the sugar planta- 

 tions of Hamakua and Hilo districts of Hawaii. C. pyrrhias is a native moth, 

 usually living in the native forest regions above cultivated lands. The cater- 

 pillars normally feed upon grasses and on sedges, particularly Baumca mcyenii, 

 a large equitant-leaved species growing on the mountain ranges at elevations of 

 1,000 ft. and more. The gras-s army worm (Hpodoptera mauritia), which occurs 

 in Mauritius, West Africa, and throughout the Oriental and Australian regions, 

 was formerly a very serious pest in the grass lands and sugar-cane fields of the 

 Hawaiian Islands, but their numbers have been greatly reduced by the introduc- 

 tion of the Mynah bird. Besides feeding on grasses and sugar cane, they also 

 eat corn, peas, beans, and probably other kinds of garden plants. 



The lesser native cutworm (Fcltia (lislocata), a native species, is often 

 reported numerous locally in cane fields, but the author has found it more 

 injurious to garden crops. The larger native cutworm (Agrotis crUiigcra). 

 another native species, " sometimes occurs in sugar cane, but more often attacks 

 other vegetation rather than grasses and cane. It is fond of garden peas 

 and beans and other garden plants, and I hnve found them abundant in fields 

 of cowpeas. I have also found them feeding abundantly on a native shrub 

 (Sida), also on several kinds of weeds as Portulaca and Datura." The black 



