IDENTITY OF A COCONUT HISPID. 



EecentN, Mr. E. M. Eichards, of Caledonia Estate sent to me 

 specimens of what Peninsular entomologists have been calling 

 Bronthispa froggattii, a small but destructive Hispid beetle occur- 

 ring on coconuts. It can be recognized b}'^ its small size, black 

 color, ' and red pronotum. Bronthispa froggattii was originally 

 described from the Solomon Islands, and since there was some ques- 

 tion as to the positive identity of the Malayan form, specimens 

 from Mr. Eichards and also specimens which I had taken in Singa- 

 pore were sent to Dr. Gestro in Genoa, one of the best known 

 authorities on the Ilispidae. Dr. Gestro now replies that he 

 possesses typical specimens of Bronthispa froggattii and that our 

 form cannot possibly l)e associated therewith, on the other hand 

 he states that the Malayan beetle is clearly Plesispa Reichei Chap., 

 originally described from Malacca. I do not know how the errone- 

 ous determination first got into Peninsular literatui..-. 



C. r. Baker. 



PROMECOTHECA CUMLVGII, BALY, ANOTHER 

 COCONUT HISPID AND A PEST IN MALACCA. 



Mature larva and imago of Promejotheoa cumingii, enlarged 2j times. 



Upon a visit of inspection to Malacca in July, 1917 it was 

 observed that some pest had been attacking the Coconut palms in 

 a serious way between Malacca town and Tanjong Kling, seven 

 miles distant. The effect of the attack was apparent to any one, 

 even at some distance, by the brown colour of all the old leaves; 

 every palm in the area of attack appeared as if scorched, appeared 

 as if attacked by the moth Brachartona which produces this ap- 

 pearance : but on examination of the trees it was obvious that 

 BraHiartona had not done the damage. 



The young leaves were found to be free, for the most part, 

 from any cause of injury, but on the intermediate leaves sharply 

 defined areas of dead tissue were to be seen : and on the older 

 leaves these areas had become confluent, and the tissues were 

 generally dead and often tattered. The cause of the injury was 

 not detected on the first visit, but the limits of its attack were 

 ascertained as above, Malacca town to Tanjong Kling, and inland 

 onlv about a mile. 



