145 



DE Campos Novaes (J). Dois bellos Parasitas das Palmeiras. i. 

 Escaravelho que destroe Bulbos de Palmeirinhas iDynasies= 

 Memlosoma hector, Burm.). ii. Lagarta das Palmeiras {Brassolis 

 sophorae, L.). [Two beautiful Palm Pests, i. M. hector, destroy- 

 ing the Bulbs of young Palms, ii. The Palm Caterpillar, B. 

 sophorae.] — Bol. Aqric. S. Paulo, xxi, no. l-v3, Januarv-March 



1920, pp. 186-200, 6 figs. [Received 18th January 1921.] 



Severe injury to the bulbs of young 3ft. palms {Lataniahourhonica) 

 ready lor transplanting has been traced to a Dynastid beetle, Mega- 

 soma hector, Burm. ; three species of this genus exist in Brazil ; of 

 these, M. elephas, Burm., is also recorded as a dangerous pest of 

 L. bourbonica. 



Brassolis sophorae, L., is a serious pest of piassava {Orbignia 

 racemosa) ; it also does much harm to Attalea regia. Cocus gerova 

 suffers less, and Latania bourbonica is immune from attack. 



Contra o " Pulgao braneo." [Measures against Icerya purchasi.] — 

 Bol. Agric, S. Paulo, xxi, no. 6, June 1920, pp. 368-369. 



Growers in the State of San Paulo who suspect the presence of the 

 scale, Icerya purchasi, in their plantations are asked to send infested 

 material to the State Department of Agriculture in order, if necessary, 

 to receive colonies of the Coccinellid, Novius caniinalis, that have 

 been established for this purpose [R. A.E., A, viii, 405]. 



Grain Pests. — Bur. Bio-Technology, Leeds. Bull. 2, 1st January 



1921, p. 52. 



Samples of malt from various sources have been found to contain 

 the following beetles : — Calandra granaria, L., C. oryzae, L., Niptus 

 hololeucus, ¥.. Ptinus tectus, Boield., and Tribolium castaneum, Hbst. 

 The weevils are responsible for much damage. No serious injury 

 can be ascribed either to A^. hololeucus or to T. castaneum. The 

 latter, when found in malt, appears to attack malt corns already 

 mechanically damaged, and prefers the wheat grains and other foreign 

 seeds with less resistant husks. 



Tempany (H. a.). Report on Operations for the Control of Phytalus 

 smithi during the Season 1919-20. — Mauritius, 1920, 4 pp. 



The number of Lachnosterna [Phytalus) smithi captured in 1919-20 

 was under thirty-one millions, as compared with over sevent^^-one 

 millions in the previous year, and is the lowest since 1912-13. The 

 figures indicate that a control has been established in those areas 

 in which the infestation originated ; it is only in the more recently 

 invaded part of the area that the number of beetles taken is still on 

 the increase. This view is corroborated by the results of surve3's 

 for the larvae. 



The work of the parasite, Tiphia parallela, is probably the most 

 important factor, but it must be supplemented by a certain amount of 

 artificial assistance, comprising systematic collection of the adult 

 beetles and the maintenance of conditions favourable to T. parallela. 

 Unless these precautions are taken reinfestations are inevitable in 

 districts where the parasite has disappeared with its host. 



(2290) Wt.P.3/181 1500 4/21 Harrow M 



