39 



A local outbreak of this moth occurred in July 1921. When a 

 number of eggs were placed on young coconut trees from Tahiti, the 

 larvae disappeared a few days after hatching, being destroyed probably 

 by jumping spiders. Other enemies are the bugs, Tectocoris lineola 

 and Canihecona cyanocantha, and birds. 



Car-Ment (A. G.). Fungoid Disease of Leviiana iridescens.— Agric. 

 Circ, Fiji Dcpt. Agric, Suva, ii, no. 4, July-September 1921, 

 pp. 85-86. 



This' paper records experiments on Levuana iridescens with certain 

 fungi obtained from dead larvae and pupae. In those infested with 

 a Malayan fungus [R.A.E., A, ix, 502], no disease occurred amongst 

 the larvae, while a Fiji fungus produced unhealthy, moist conditions 

 in the pupae. The fungus lies dormant in the hard body of the dead 

 larva or pupa until warm and moist conditions occur, when it grows 

 rapidly. This disease may account for the disappearance of the 

 various outbreaks of the pest each year. Spraying experiments are 

 being carried' out with an emulsion of the fungus. 



SiMMONDs (H. W.). Report on Bud-rot in Tavixml— Agric. Circ, 

 Fiji Dept. Agric, Suva, ii, no. 4, July-September 1921, pp. 91-93. 



In the course of an inspection of bud-rot at Taviuni, coconut trees 

 were found infested with the Hispid, Promecotheca reichei, a leaf- 

 eating moth, Aganoxena argaula, a weevil, Diocalandra {Calandra) 

 iaitensis, and a spathe borer. The damage caused was only slight, 

 except in one locality, where the first two were more abundant. 



Srinivasa Rao (H.). My Experiences of the Cocoanut Beetle.— 



J I. Mysore Agric. & Exptl. Union, Bangalore, i, no. 4, October 

 1919, pp. 1-6. [Received 23rd November 1921.] 



Oryctes rhinoceros is the chief obstacle in raising coconut plantations 

 in Mvsore. The attacks of this beetle are usually heaviest in the hot 

 season. They are at their worst from the end of March till the end 

 of June, when there is a very slight decrease up to the middle 

 of October, after which they diminish appreciably, reaching their 

 minimum in the middle of the cold weather. 



In young palms the beetles attack the tender tissue below the 

 surface. In older ones they infest the central shoot and the fleshy 

 portion of the base of the midrib of the leaves. The various remedial 

 measures that have been recommended for this pest are discussed. 



SuBRAMANiA Iyer (T. V.). The Castor Semi-looper. A Serious Pest 

 of the Castor Crop in Mysore.— //. Mysore Agric & Expil. Union, 



Bangalore, ii, no. 3, July 1920, pp. 123-126. [Received 23rd 

 November 1921.] 



The castor semi-looper [Achaea janata'\ is widely distributed through- 

 out India as a pest of castor plants. This plant is sown in Mysore 

 after the rains in June and July, when the pest appears and continues 

 till the end of September. The larvae eat the leaves, leaving only 

 the ribs on old plants and the main stalk on young plants. The top 

 shoots and tender stems are eaten on very young plants. 



The eggs are deposited singly on the lower surface of the leaves 

 at night. One female can lav 400 eggs. The larvae hatch in 2-4 days, 



