454 



According to Antram, Butler is convinced that there is a relation 

 between the holes in the skin of the berry and the fungus-infection 

 of the seed-lobes in apparently sound kernels. Up to the present the 

 author has not noticed any such connection, but the subject requires 

 further investigation ^ as it is quite possible that the failure of the crop 

 in many seed-gardens may be due either directly to the bug or to a 

 fungus entering through the punctures. 



The habits of P. hardwicki facilitate remedial measures. By 

 shaking the bushes the larvae and most of the adult bugs will be thrown 

 to the ground, where collection is easy. The winged adults may be 

 collected by hand at the same time as the eggs. Spraying is too costly. 



A Proctotrupid parasitises the eggs of P. hardwicki. In one observa- 

 tion the first parasite that emerged ran over the unhatched eggs and 

 when a parasitised one opened it assisted the occupant to emerge. 

 The latter appeared to be a female, and mating immediately took 

 place. After this the male sought another egg and the same thing 

 occurred again. As this parasite is beneficial, egg-collectors should 

 leave the parasitised eggs on the bushes. 



Bernard (C.) & Kerbosch (M.). Mijten-Aanteekeningen. [Notes 

 on Mites.] — Meded. Proefstation voor Thee, Buitenzorg, no. 68, 1919, 

 pp. 1-9, 3 plates. [Received 24th August 1920.] 



This paper supplements a previous publication [R.A.E., A, vii, 41], 

 and draws attention to a cheap and convenient means of combating 

 mites. 



The polyphagous habits of Tetranychus telarius, L. (cinchona or 

 cassava mite), Brevipalpus ohovatus. Don. (orange mite) and some 

 other species account for their rapid spread. Most mites, including 

 B. obovatus, Tarsonemus translvcens, Green, and Eriophyes {Phytoptus) 

 theae, increase during the dry season. Rain washes them off, so that the 

 infestation of cultivated plants decreases with the advent of the wet 

 season. A short spell of dry weather, however, results in re-infestation, 

 and therefore it must be assumed that the mites shelter during the wet 

 season in neighbouring weeds from which some unknown factors 

 cause their return to cultivated plants. These facts must be remem- 

 bered when remedial measures are undertaken. 



Besides the food-plants of T. telarius previously mentioned [he. cit.] 

 the followmg have been noted by Leefmans : Ageratum conyzoides, 

 Tridax procumbens, Synedrella nodiflora, Sida rhombifoUa, Vernonia 

 rinerea, Amarantus spinosus, Commelina m(diflora, Lantana camara, 

 Hyptis Siiaveolens, Portidaca oleracea, various grasses and Jatropha 

 curcas. The authors have found it on other plants, including Poly- 

 gala paniadata, Fuchsia sp., and Hydrocotyle sp., at altitudes ranging 

 from 1,500 to 6,000 feet. They have also observed it on Albizzia 

 mohfcc^na in a tea plantation. 



B. obovatus is another very polyphagous species. The plants listed 

 here mclude P. paniculuta, Rubvs sp., Bidens pilosa, Commelma sp., 

 A. covyzoides, Hydrocotyle asiatica, Eleutheranthera ovata and 

 Bauhinia sp. 



Dusting with fuiely powdered sulphur has proved to be the best 

 remedial measure hitherto tried. 



