ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 561 



observations made of other insects while investigating tlie injury to coconut 

 trees by Aspidiotus destructor (E. S. R., 20, p. 1053) in the Society Islands. 



Hcmichionaspis aspidistrce is said to rank next to A. destructor in numbers 

 and probably in amount of damage done. Everywhere it Is* abundantly para- 

 sitized by a small chalcidid. Lepidosaphes gloveri is often very abundant on 

 the bases of the older leaves, but as long as its attaclc is i-estricted to this part 

 of the tree the damage done can not be very great. It also was everywhere 

 badly parasitized. On the young tender unfolding leaves of many of the trees 

 are to be found large colonies of Pscudococciis pandani. What seems to be the 

 same species of the mealy bug occurs abundantly on the Pandanus. 



Sphenophoriis obscurus and Calandra taitensis are said to bore toward the 

 base of the leaves, causing a resin-like exudation to flow from holes made by 

 the larvjB. The larvte of a small moth works on the underside of the leaflets, 

 eating away the lower surface and causing the whole leaf to turn brown and 

 die. Another small moth larva may prove to be of considerable importance on 

 account of its habit of attacking the male flower buds as soon as they are 

 exposed by the opening of the spathe. On some of the trees where male spike- 

 lets were in bloom the spike would be covered with two species of O^demerids, 

 Ananca livida and A. collaris, the former being the more abundant. They 

 were feeding on the pollen and where a spike was badly attacked practically all 

 the pollen was destroyed. 



Brassolis isthmia, a lepidopterous insect highly injurious to coconut cul- 

 ture in the Panama Canal zone, H. F. Schultz (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 10 

 {1908), Xo. 3-.'f, pp. 16.^-167). — This insect is said to have occurred in such 

 numbers in 1906 as to defoliate the coconut trees on the Isthmus and necessitate 

 their being cut down. The pest feeds at night, remaining in the nest during 

 the day. While it can be controlled by the use of arsenate of lead, it is more 

 easily accomplished by cutting down the nests. A dipterous parasite is said to 

 help in its control. 



Animals associated with the Hevea rubber plant in Ceylon, C. E. Geeen 

 {Circs, and Agr. Jour. Roy. Bot. Gard. Ceylon, 4 (1908), No. 12, pp. 91-102).— 

 A brief account of the enemies of the Hevea rubber plant. There are said to 

 be comparatively few animal enemies of this plant in Ceylon. It is to a very 

 large extent self-protected from insect attack by the presence of the viscid 

 caoutchouc-producing latex, which constitutes its great value. 



Arsenical poisoning of fruit trees, W. P. Headden {Jour. Econ. Ent., 2 

 {1909), No. 3, pp. 239-245). — A detailed account of experiments to which this 

 article refers has been previously noted (E. S. R., 20, p. 452). The author con- 

 cludes " that we must either find some other still more insoluble arsenical com- 

 pound than any which has heretofore been used, or find some other substance 

 with which to combat the codling moth, or eventually render our trees so 

 short-lived as to curtail the profits of orcharding." 



A note on the action of caustic soda, paraffin, and tar oils on fruit trees, 

 S. Williamson {Jour. Cooper Research Lab., 1909, No. 1, pp. 38-Jf2, figs. 3). — 

 The author concludes that the fruit grower must exercise great care in the use of 

 fluids containing caustic soda, paraffin, and tar oils and that the risk of damage 

 to trees is too great to warrant their recommendation. 



Control of insects and of plant diseases, C. D. Jarvis {Connecticut Storrs 

 Sta. Bui. 56, pp. 220-282, pis. 8). — This bulletin discusses the principles of spray- 

 ing and general preventives for insect and fungus pests, gives formulas of in- 

 secticides and fungicides, and directions for spraying the more imjwrtant crops, 

 describes the more important insect pests and fungus diseases, and briefly con- 

 siders spraying machinery. 



