163 



THE JAPAJSrSSE BEETLE FUNGUS. 



BY JACOB KOTINSKY. 



Assistant Entomologist. 



INTEODUCTION. 



Fig. n — ]a.pRnese beetle ( Aden , '/us ui/idrosiis, var. /t'>iiiimaiii/t!/i<s W'Merh'' . o, 

 upper side oi living beettle. d. upper side oi beetle killed by fungus, c. under side 

 of a. </, under side of b. 



Perhaps no one upon these Islands has had more extensive 

 experience with the propagation and distribution of this useful 

 fungus than Bro. Matthias Newell of Hilo. AVith the assist- 

 ance of the pupils attending his classes he has been able to 

 inoculate and distribute tens of thousands of diseased beetles 

 through Hilo and vicinity, besides a good many that went to 

 other localities and other Islands. lie asserts with authority 

 that the fungus has been distributed to all portions of the 

 group. His efforts in and about Hilo have been rewarded 

 with success which to the writer's mind is due, first, to Bro. 

 Newell 's perseverance; and secondly, to the very favorable 

 climatic conditions, namely, the abundance of rain in Hilo. 

 Similar success under similar conditions has been attained in 

 other districts of the Islands. In the arid districts, however, 

 the fungus has not been as effective as would be desirable. 

 This is readily accounted for by the want of ample moisture 

 without which the disease, or more correctly, the fungous para- 

 site cannot thrive. 



STKUCTURE OF FUNGI. 



As yet our knowledge of this fungus is limited. Like all 

 fungi it is a plant of a very low order which grows in threads 



