178 



The Palm-weevil of Asia (jccurs in India, Ceylon and east- 

 ward to the Philippine Island^. 



It is replaced hy Rhynchophonts phoeuicis in tropical Africa, by 

 the allied R. palmarum in Tropical America and also by the smaller 

 R. cnicntatus. The latter seems to have a predilection for certain 

 palms of small growth, less perhaps on account of their physical 

 nature than its habit of flying low in the moistest air near the ground. 

 Ari6ther similar weevil — Rhabdocnemis ohscura — destructive to sugar 

 cane in the Pacific islands has been found there in coconut palms. 



In 1910 or perhaps one year earlier, a mischance took the 

 Rhinoceros beetle to Samoa. It is believed that a consignment of 

 rubber stumps from Ceylon actually carried it thither. Its presence 

 was first noticed on November 4th, 1910, by reason of damage done to 

 coconut palms growing close to the Customs House of Apia. From 

 Apia it spread widely, chiefly in the direction of the prevailing w^nd, 

 crossing the island of Upolu, from Apia on the north and passing 

 westwards, but not passing so much eastwards. From the island of 

 Upolu the beetle has flown across the strait dividing Upolu from the 

 island of Savaii. Fears that it might reach Fiji have caused legisla- 

 tion to be brought in preventing the importation from the Samoan 

 ■islands of anything which might carry its eggs or grubs or pupae. 



Xgainst the pest in the Samoan islands the Government has taken 

 energetic measures, a knowledge of which may be useful to us. Much 

 may be learned from the two papers on it, which have appeared in 

 Der Tropenpflanzer and from one in the Bulletin of the Department 

 of Agriculture, Fiji.* 



The first paper was by Dr. Gehrmann, an officer of the Govern- 

 ment of Samoa, then in charge of measures against the coconut crab. 

 He described how the mature beetle tunnels for the sake of food into 

 the cabbage of the palm and may kill it : " the loss of palms, attri- 

 bute to Heart-rot and to lightning " had in his opinion, he said, 

 "during the preceeding year been due in chief measure to the beetle." 



The second paper was by Mr. F- J. Jepson, Government 

 Entomologist in Fiji, who was sent to Samoa in April, 1912, to ascer- 

 tain the seriousness of the pest, lest it should be introduced into Fiji. 



The third paper is by Dr. K. Friederichs, the Government Officer 

 who now has charge of the operations against the beetle, and like the 

 first was published in the Tropenpflanzer. 



Jepson gave a map showing the area in Upolu, over which the 

 beetle had spread in April, 1912. Friederichs has published an- 

 other map bringing our information up to date and graphically 

 showing that in spite of the strenuous measures which have been 

 taken the pest is spreading. Since Jepson wrote it has passed over to- 

 the island of Savaii ; this required the crossing of nine miles of sea ; but 



*Gehrniann, in Der Tropenpflanzer, xv. (I9n) pp. 92. Friederichs, K., in the same, xvii. 

 (igi3) P-P- 538. Jepson, F.J., Bulletin, No. 3, Department of Agriculture, Fiji, (1912). 



