424 



200 pupae there were obtained 54 males, 109 females, 16 Hymenopter- 

 ous parasites {Ichneumon flavatorius, Grv., and Pimpla instigator, F.) 

 and 7 cocoons of Dipterous parasites, while 14 pupae were either 

 slirivelled or attacked by fungi. The percentages of males and females 

 were thus 27 per cent, and 55 per cent., an exceptional result as the 

 males usually predominate. About 84,000 female moths and pupae 

 were collected ; the males and the few caterpillars were not counted. 

 The pupae represented about half the catch or about 40,000 specimens. 

 Assuming 55 per cent, to be females this would yield 22,000, or a total 

 of 66,000. As each female should average 100 eggs (the maximum and 

 minimum numbers observed being 184 and 62), the total number 

 would have been 6| millions, for there is no reason for assuming the 

 non-fertilisation of many females owing to their numerical excess. 

 Up to the date of writing (May 1920) the pines were free from infesta- 

 tion. 



^ACHER (F.). Notizen uber Schadlinge tropischer Kulturen. 10. 

 Aufsatz : Afrikanische Tabakschadlinge. [Notes on Pests of 

 tropical cultivated Plants. No. 10, African Tobacco Pests.] — 

 Twpen/pflanzer, Berlin, xx, nos. 4-6, 1917, pp. 159-175, 207-222, 

 259-265, 37 figs. [Received 1st July 1920.] 



This paper was prepared in view of the expected development of 

 ■tobacco cultivation in Kamerun and other colonies, as it is a matter of 

 paramount importance to recognise a local infestation before it has 

 time to spread. 



Among the chief tobacco pests in Africa are locusts and other Orthop- 

 tera. The use of poison-baits, such as the Griddle mixture, is advised 

 against Schistocerca peregrina, 01. Gyna capucina, Gerst., has been 

 found in Kamerim, but does not appear to be dangerous. Other 

 Orthoptera include : Acrida (Tryxalis) turrita, L. ; Gastrimargus 

 marmoratus, Thmib. ; Heteropternis coloniana, Sauss. ; Morphacris 

 fasciatus, Thunb. ; Acrotijlus patruelis, H.-S. ; Locusta {Pachytylus) 

 migrator ioides, Reiche ; L. pardalina, Wlk. (P. sulcicoUis, Stal) ; Atracio- 

 morjjJui aberrans, Karsch; Chrotogonus hemipterus, Schaum ; C. lameeri, 

 Bol. ; Zonocerus elegans, Thmib. (one of the worst plant pests in East 

 Africa) ; Oxyrrhepes jjrocera, Stal ; Catanfops opulentus, Karsch ; 

 C. solitarius, Karsch ; C. vittipes, Sauss. ; C. nielanostictus, Schaum ; 

 Acridium lineatmn, Stal ; Orthacanthacris (A.) aegyptius, L. (common in 

 Africa, where it has not, so far, attacked tobacco as it does in Italy and 

 Dalmatia); Euprepocnemis sp, (from Kamerun) ; Brachytrypes mem- 

 branaceus, Dm. ; Scapsipedus marginatus, Afz. ; Acheta himaculata, 

 DeG. (common in Africa, where it has not, so far, attacked tobacco) ; 

 and Gryllotalpa africana,^. de B. (a very serious pest of many cultivated 

 plants). 



In the Transvaal a bug, Nezara viridula, L., is common in tobacco 

 fields, but does little harm. 



Aphids may cause serious loss, and this may occasionally be the case 

 with Tipulid larvae. 



Lepidopterous pests include the Noctuids, Euxoa (Agrotis) segetum, 

 E. spinifera, Hb., Agrotis ypsilon, Rott., A. c-nigrum, the cotton worm, 

 Prodenia litura, F. (one of the worst tobacco pests, for which the 

 remedial measures adopted in Egypt are enumerated together with notes 



