June, '09] JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 331 



natural enemies of these insects were observed, but the fact that they 

 are only to be found on protected parts of the tree would indicate that 

 some predaceous form keeps them from spreading to more exposed 

 parts. It is possible that the small skinks and geckos that are so 

 abundant on many of the trees snap up any of the insects that are 

 accessible. What seems to be the same species of mealy-bug occurs 

 abundantly on the Pandanus. These are often in somewhat more ex- 

 posed places and I have seen the larvae of lacewing flies feeding on 

 them. It is very likely that these larv^ attack the mealy-bug on the 

 coacoanut trees as well. This is probably the same species of Pseudo- 

 coccus that is reported as doing considerable damage to cocoanut trees 

 in other groups of the South Sea Islands. 



Toward the base of many of the older leaves on some of the trees 

 may be seen small holes, from which flows a resin-like exudation. 

 Often this has issued to such an extent that the whole lower portion 

 of the leaf is covered, or it collects in lumps on the leaf below. Often 

 bits of leaf-fiber and larval castings are mixed with the exudation. 

 Around these holes the tissue of the leaf is more or less blackened and 

 decayed. Two different types of these holes may be found, usually 

 on the same tree, disting-uishable principally by their size and the 

 amount and extent of the injury. Both are made by the larvae of 

 weevils; a large one, the adult of which is about 13 mm. in length, 

 and a smaller one about one half the size, kindly identified by Mr. 

 Schwarz, through Doctor Howard, as Sphenophorus ohscurus Boisd. 

 and Calandra taifensis Guerin. The larger larva ilsually works closer 

 to the base of the leaf, often killing the leaf by burrowing all through 

 it. Sometimes the larva will keep close to the edge of the leaf or go 

 only as far in as the center, boring a tortuous chamber from I/2 to 

 % an inch in diameter. The burrow is usually filled ^\^th the chaff 

 and castings and the larva is usually found at the upper end of the 

 burrow. Often from the blackened portion of the infested leaf the 

 resinous exudation will be issuing in several places, making it appear 

 that several larvae are at work in the same leaf. This is sometimes 

 the case, but a single larva may bore along a leaf stem for 12 to 15 

 inches, causing the exudation to flow in abundance from several open- 

 ings and making many large discolored spots, beneath which the tis- 

 sue is soft and decayed. The older leaves are usually attacked. 

 After attaining its full growth the larva bores close to the surface and 

 constructs a rude oval cocoon out of the fiber that it has been eating 

 and transforms to the pupa stage, from which it later issues as the 

 adult beetle. These cocoons may usually be found quite abundantly 

 in the chaff at the base of old leaves or in the old leaves. In some in- 



