222 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 2 



stances the larva bores into the trunk of the tree for a short distance 

 where the bi'oad leaf-base joins the tree. In one instance I found the 

 beetle quite abundant in and around the growing tip of a young tree 

 that was dying, whether as a result of the work of the beetle or from 

 some other cause I was unable to determine. 



The smaller weevil, C. taitensis, seems to be much more abundant 

 and on account of its habits is perhaps more injurious than the larger 

 species. It is found most commonly boring into the edge of the base 

 of the leaf-stem. Its presence is indicated, as with the larger species, 

 by the presence of a gummy exudation mixed with castings. These 

 are often in the shape of long twisted strings, i/4 to i/o inch long. As 

 the larvffi do not Avork as deep in the tissue of the leaf as do those of 

 the larger species, the damage here is not very great, but when they 

 work further out at the base of the leaflets many of the leaflets are de- 

 stroyed. 



A still more serious damage is done where the larvse attack the 

 spikelets, killing them at the point of attack and working toward the 

 base. As long as they confine their work to the portion of the spike 

 having only the male flowers the damage is not serious, because the 

 number of these flowers is so great. But when they attack the spike- 

 let below the female or fruiting flower, the young fruit is killed. Af- 

 ter the larva has become full grown it makes for itself a rather long 

 cell, with a very thin wall on one side, and, without making a cocoon, 

 changes to the pupa, from which, later, the adult emerges and breaks 

 through the thin wall of its cell. 



Another insect that is doing much damage to many of the cocoa- 

 nut trees on all parts of these islands is the larva of a small moth 

 that works on the underside of the leaflets, eating away the lower sur- 

 face and causing the whole leaflet to turn brown and die. Often a 

 large portion of the leaf is thus destroyed, giving the whole tree a 

 very ragged appearance and of course doing considerable damage 

 when many leaves are affected. The larva spins a thin, protective 

 net of silk as it feeds. Along the midrib or at the base of the leaflet 

 a denser web is formed, to which the larva, by a peculiar jerky motion, 

 retreats when disturbed. A very few pupa? were taken, but I was not 

 able to rear the adult moth, so I cannot identify the species. 



There is another small moth larva that may prove to be of consid- 

 erable importance on account of its habit of attacking the male flower 

 buds as soon as they are exposed by the opening of the spathe. Many 

 of the spikelets are nearly or quite stripped of their buds before the 

 flower opens. The larva works just at the base of the bud, usually 

 inside, often extending its work out along the stem for a short dis- 



