20 JOURNAL OF AGRICTJLTTJRE OF P. E. 



to Java and the two latter countries. Speare (34) reports that no 

 introductions were made into Hawaii from Japan or other sources, 

 as far as the availahle records show, although statements to the con- 

 trary have been made. 



HISTORY OF THE INTRODUCTION OF METARRHIZIUM INTO PORTO RICO. 



The following paragraph from Bulletin 10 of this Station gives 

 the history of the introduction of MetarrMzium into Porto Rico: 



" Metarrhizium was introduced under the name of Hawaiian beetle fungu'< 

 by D. L. Van Dine, January 12, iOll, and was identified by the writer, whose 

 identification was confirmed by Prof R. Thaxter. * * * This material con- 

 sisted of infected beetles, some of which were sent to Mr. C. T. Murphy at Gua- 

 nica Central. More fungus in the form of infected soil was received by Mr. Van 

 Dine, March 30, 1911. On June 3, a letter accompanying material was received 

 at the Sugar Planter's Station" (now the Insular Experiment Station) "from 

 Mr. D. W, May of the Mayagiiez Experiment Station. This material was origi- 

 nally from Hawaii. ' ' 



It was supposed at that time that the fungus was not intligenous. 

 but since then the finding of infected insects in regions distant from 

 the points where the introduced material has been worked with, makes 

 it appear that it did exist in the Island previous to the Hawaiian 

 importations. The native type has at no time been abundant, hav- 

 ing been found on single, isolated insects only. 



THE FUNGUS. 



Although the fungus has been placed at different times in such 

 widely different genera as Entomophihm'a, Isarm, Oospora, and others, 

 a study of actual material leaves no doubt as to its position near 

 Penicillium in the Moniliaceae. With one exception, no spore form 

 other than the chains of cylindrical conidia have been rei)()rte(l. Trvon 

 (38) from Queensland makes mention of having i'ound a Cor- 

 dyceps or ])erfect stage associated with Mciarrliizium. He assumes 

 the two to be stages of the same fungus, but apparently jiiadc no 

 careful cultural studies to prove this assumption, oi- at h^ast none 

 are given. In as much as no other instances have been recorded, 

 in all of the many references to the subject, of any other spore form 

 such a possibility seems remote. In Porto Rico the fungus has been 

 studied in the laboratory, inseetary, and in the tield by practically 

 all of the various men who have been connected since 1911 with the 



