254 



young shoot from the outside and begins feeding on the juices of the 

 plant. The first larvae were noticed during the beginning of March. 

 By the beginning of May they are fully fed and after making an 

 emergence-hole in the stalk near the ground they leave it and enter 

 the soil to a depth of about 4 inches for pupation, which lasts from 20 

 to 24 days. The first adults appear early in .June and are usually on 

 the 'wing until the end of August, though a few individuals may still be 

 found in September. The author has not been able to rear any 

 parasites of this pest. 



The author does not consider that H. coarctafa is a pest of summer 

 crops, but as a result of observations by Zimmermann the possibility 

 of isolated cases of such infestation is admitted. 



Zacher (F.). Neue und weiiig bekannte Pflanzenschadlinge aus 

 unseren Kolonien. [New and little known Plant Pests from our 

 Colonies. ] -Z^'/^.scV/r. /. (ingew Eniom., Berlin, ii, no. 2, August 

 1915, p. 422-426, 3 figs. [Received I9th April 1920.) 



Coconut-palm pests received from the Caroline Islands included a 

 leaf beetle which is here described as Brontliispa {?) clmlyheipennis, sp. n., 

 though its generic position is doubtful, and it should possibly be 

 placed in Oxycephala or Xiphispa. A key is also given to the Hispid 

 pests of coconuts, including Bofryonopa smigninea, Guer., Bronthispa 

 froggatii. Sharp, B. chalybeipennis, Promecotheca cuniivgi, Baly, 

 P. callosa, Baly, P. vaiipes. Baly, P. andqua, Wse., P. opacicollis, 

 Gestro, P. reiehei, Baly, P. coertdeipennis, Blanch., and P. lindingeri, 

 Aulm. 



Zw^iGELT (F.). Der gegenwartige Stand der Maikaferforschung. 



[The present Position of Cockchafer Investigation.]- -2''/ i/(/d^cAr. 

 d. Deutschen Gesellsch. f. angew. Entom., Berlin, no. 8, 1918, 

 40 pp., 1 map. [Received 19th April 1920.] 



The bulk of the information contained in this paper has been 

 noticed elsewhere \R.A.E., A, ii, p. 670]. The chief species dealt with 

 are Melolontha melolonlha (vulgaris) and M. hippocastani. Both species 

 require at least three years for the completion of one generation in 

 Austria, South West Germany, Holland, France and Switzerland, but 

 in other parts of Germany and the mountain regions of Central 

 Europe M. 7nelolontha may require four years, whilst M. hippocastani 

 may extend over five years, depending chiefly on climatic conditions. 

 The comparison of climatic charts of various districts shows that the 

 increase of the yearly rainfall on the one hand and the decrease of the 

 yearly mean temperature on the other results in a reduction of 

 cockchafer infestation. There is also a close relation between the 

 yearly isotherm and the distribution of cockchafers, their presence 

 being negligible where the isotherm is below 7° C. [44° F.]. The 

 intensity of their development depends greatly on the depth to which 

 they are able to burrow into the soil for protection against the cold ; 

 this is regulated by soil character and the level of the subsoil water. 



The appearance of the adults in the spring depends more on the 

 temperature at the time of emergence than on the average temperature 

 of the preceding winter. 



