65 



sp.), and the Clerid, Necrobia rufipes, De G. It is advisable to keep 

 copra from old nuts separate from that obtained from young ones, 

 as the latter is more severely attacked. Sulphur fumigation was 

 tried, but the results were not lastingly successful, and the method 

 at present employed is to keep the copra constantly turned over. 

 Oil-palm pests included a Psychid, Lansdownia bifenestralis, Snell., 

 and a Limacodid, Orthocraspeda frima, Moore. Collection is the 

 only measure available against the latter. Miscellaneous pests 

 included termites, which are said to be kept away by planting 

 Euphorbia neriifolia around the threatened areas, probably owing to 

 its irritant sap ; this method is being tested. 



SiLVESTRi (F.). Descrizione e Notlzie biologiehe di alcuni Imenotteri 

 Calcididi parassiti di Uova di Cicale. [A Description of and 

 Biological Notes on some Chalcids parasitising the Eggs of 

 Cicadas.]— Boll. Lab. Zool. Gen. Agrar. R. Scuola Sup. Agric, 

 Portici, xii, pp. 252-265, 12 figs. 



The two Chalcids that parasitise the eggs of Cicada plebeja, Scop., 

 and Tettigia orni, L., are Cemmbycobius cicadae, Giraud, which is 

 re-described, and Centrodom cicadae, sp. n.,. of which a description 

 is given. Both Cicada plebeja and Tettigia orni oviposit from July 

 to early September in the tall stems of herbaceous plants {Arundo 

 pliniana) and in the twigs of woody plants {Acer campestris). The 

 stems or twigs must be dry and either not hollow, or, if hollow, with 

 walls thick enough to contain the egg-cells, which are about 10 mm. 

 in length in the case of Cicada and 5 mm. of Tettigia and are bored 

 towards the axis of the stem with a very pronounced downward slope. 

 There are from 1 1 to 15 cells on a stem ; they are placed in a 

 perpendicular line with a spacing of 10 mm. for Cicada and 5 mm. for 

 Tettigia. The presence of more than one line of cells appears to be 

 ■due to more than one female or to the same female having pierced 

 more than one row. Each cell contains from 6 to 12 eggs of Cicada 

 and from 4 to 5 of Tettigia. The larvae appear in October and burrow 

 into the ground. 



The adults of Cerambycobius cicadae appear at the end of July. 

 They are very active, feed readily on sugary substances and can mate 

 soon after emergence. The female introduces her ovipositor into 

 an egg-cell and deposits an egg on the first of the eggs of the host, 

 and usually visits the other cells also. Incubation requires four 

 days. The larva usually sucks all the eggs in the cell and sometimes 

 finishes feeding early in August. It remains in the cell until the 

 following year, when it pupates. As a rule, the adult emerges in the 

 sunmier of the following year, but sometimes a further year elapses 

 before emergence. 



Centrodora cicadae, sp. n., has two annual generations. The adults 

 from the second generation of the previous year begin to appear early 

 in July. Mating and oviposition take place without delay. The egg 

 is deposited within the egg of the host. Eggs laid on 26th July hatched 

 out on 29th July ; the larvae were nearly full-grown on 31st July and 

 the adults appeared on 14th August. These adults give rise to the 

 second generation, the larvae of which remain in the eggs of the host 



