232 ^ 



f 



a large number falling prematurely thijpughout the Malay Archi- 

 pelago owing to a fungus disease. Such nutmegs are immature and 

 soft ; the dampness of the ground causes the pericarp to ferment 

 and rot, and numerous insects are attracted to it, including many 

 Nitidulid beetles. The interior becomes Vatery and is then very 

 susceptible to infestation by T. myristicae. Apparently one or more 

 females pierce the shell and prepare a brood-chamber within. Some 

 time afterwards the interior of the nutmeg contains a large hollow of 

 indefinite shape and full of numerous individuals of this beetle in all 

 Stages of development. It would therefor^ appear that several 

 generations occur in the one chamber. Some of the adults leave 

 the nutmeg by the flight^holes. The large brood-chambers are also^ 

 filled with quantities of brown-black excreta V^d frass. A mite is 

 also present in them in large numbers and is %)parently a parasite, 

 since colonies of T. myristicae that were heavily^nfested with it were 

 found to perish, the freshly-emerged beetles being especially susceptible. 

 It is uncertain whether T. myristicae is able to idlEest perfectly sound 

 and normally ripened nuts, but in the laboratory\the beetles seemed 

 unable to bore through the hard shell. Nutmegs that have been 

 smoked and dried were also immune. This pest therefore is of 

 importance only as regards the fallen nuts, which arautilised in Europe 

 in the manufacture of soap and perfumery. Spe^y collection and 

 preparation of fallen nuts is the measure advised,*, while all useless 

 nuts should be burnt or buried. \ 



HoEPKE (W.). Een Termltophile Trochoideine van Ja^ : Trochoideus 

 termitophilus n. sp. ? (Coleopt. : Endomychldae). [.^4«rmitophilous 

 Endomychid, Trochoideus termitophilus, sp. n. 1] — Tf&Jihia, Batavia, 

 i, no. 1, January 1919, pp. 34-45, 12 figs. ' 



Trochoideus termitophilus, described in this paper, is associated- 

 with Termes gilvus, Haged. , a common termite in Java, thojugh nothing 

 definite is known as to its relations with it. ^ 



ScHMiTZ (H.). Drei neue Termiten vom belgischen KoAo. [Three 

 new Termites from the Belgian Congo.] — TijdscJir. EMomologie, 

 The Hague, Ix, no. 1-2, 15th July 1917, pp. 225-2M, 3 figs. 

 [Received 18th March 1919.] ^ 



The new termites here described are Microcerotermes' secetnens, 

 Promirotermes gracilipe§ and Procubitermes undulans. ^ 



. H 



LEGISLATION. '•• 



i 



Quarantine Order No, 31 (with Regulations^ Alfalfa Weevil— <?M^^. 



Bull. California State Commiss. Horiic, Sacramento, viii, no. 1, 



January 1919, pp. 34-35. , 



This Order decrees, as a prevention agaiust the introducti^ of 



the alfalfa weevil [Hypera variabilis] into the State of California,|that 



a horticultural quarantine be established at the boundaries oil the 



State, againpt all lucerne hay and other hay and cereal straw, |alt 



grass packing, agricultural emigrant movables, live stock, potatoes- 



and nursery stock, except as provided by certain affixed regulaticais. 



i 



