28 



infests Hevea brasiliensis and Quercus mirbecki), Sinoxylon ceratoniae, 

 L., S. senegalensis, Karsch, and Apate terebrans, Pall. Other wood- 

 boring beetles are Acmaeodera polita, Mg., Macrotoma boehmi, Reitt., 

 and Xystrocera globosa, 01. A list is given of the Lepidopterous pests 

 of Acacia in Egypt. The Coccid, Ceroplastes africanus var. senegalensis, 

 March., attacks Acacia arabica and- A. tortilis in Senegal. Pseudo- 

 coccus filamentosiis, 'Ckll., has been noticed, but only on Ximenia 

 americana ; its spread to other plants is, however, only a question 

 of time. 



The doum palm (Hyphaene) and borassus palm yield vegetable 

 ivory, wine, and plaiting material. Oryctes boas, F., Rhynchophorus 

 phoenicis, F., and Sphenophorus terebrans, 01., destroy Phoenix 

 canariensis and are probably capable of injuring other palms. 



Butyrospermum parkii (butter tree), which is important on account 

 of the high fat content of its fruits, is defoliated by the Saturniid, 

 Cirina butyrospermi, the eggs of which are parasitised by Anastatus 

 ■vuiUeti, Crawf. A bug, common in the Ethiopian region, Afrius 

 ptirpureus, Westw., attacks the 3^oung caterpillars. Another cater- 

 pillar, Bostra sp., also injures the leaves. A small moth, Mnssidia 

 nigriveneUa, Rag., lives in the fruits, while the leaves are attacked by 

 Lepidopterous, Dipterous and Hymenopterous leaf-miners. 



Sesamtmi is attacked by a Coccinellid, Epilachna chrysomelina, F., 

 and the caterpillar of Heliothis (Chloridea) obsoleta. A beetle, Lagria 

 ■viridipennis, feeds on the foliage of yams, cow-peas and cotton. 



Locusts may become of very great importance, Schistocerca 

 gregaria, Forsk. [peregrina, 01.) being the principal species concerned. 

 Chameleons eat large numbers of these. It is not yet certain 

 whether Cvrtacanthacris {Acridium) angulifera, Krauss, C. {A.) 

 cavroisii, Fi'not, and C. {A.) citrina, 01., are of economic importance 

 on the Senegal River. Other Orthoptera known to be injurious include 

 Zonocerus variegatus, L., and Brachytrypes membranaceiis, Dru. 



KoMAREK (J.). Kalamita Mniskova a Polyedricka Nemoc. [The 

 Polyhedral Disease of Nun-i\Ioth Caterpillars.] — Casopis cesko- 

 slovenske Spolecnosti Entomologicke, Prague, xviii, no. 1-2, 1921, 

 pp. 6-10. [With a Summary in English.] 



In 1920 the author was able to study a polyhedral disease of the 

 nun-moth [Liparis monacha] during a severe outbreak that destroyed 

 many forests in Czecho-Slovakia. 



Tachinids, the only insect parasites of any importance, killed only 

 50 per cent, of the caterpillars or pupae. Other insects and birds are 

 valueless, and polyhedral disease appears to be the only available 

 controlling agent. "^ Investigations as to the cause of the disease led 

 to the discovery of many minute bodies, which seem to be the same 

 as the Chlamydozoa described by Prowazek in cases of grasserie. 

 Even in very" acute infections the tissue of the intestines remains 

 healthy, so that the organism apparently attacks the caterpillars by 

 way of the air and is first localised in the tracheae and skin. This 

 is of practical importance, as food is thereby ruled out as a carrier. 

 According to the author's observations, infectious diseases end a nun- 

 moth outbreak only after three or four years, this interval being 

 necessary for the infection to spread sufficiently. 



