461 



SwEZEY (0. H.). Wireworms as Cane Pests in Hawaii. — Hawaiian 

 Planters^ Rec, Honolulu, xxiii, no. 1, July 1920, pp. 1-5, 1 fig. 



Recent investigations show that under certain circumstances wire- 

 worms may become serious sugar-cane pests. At Honokaa, Hawaii, 

 Simodactylus cinnamomeus, Boisd., was not sufficiently abundant 

 to produce noticeable injury, but large numbers of Monocrepidius 

 exul, Sharp, were found burrowing into and eating the eyes of seed 

 cane. Under normal conditions this species is probably predaceous 

 on the larvae of another beetle, Pantomorus fulleri. 



The wire worm injury to seed cane in other countries is reviewed, and 

 the experiments with sodium cyanide in New Jersey are quoted 

 [R.A.E., A, viii, 45]. Tests are being made with poisons and repel- 

 lents for this pest. 



McSwiNEY (J.). Report of the Agricultural Department, Assam, 

 for the Year ending 31st March 1920, Shillong, 1920, pp. 6-7. 

 [Received 26th August 1920.] 



The pests recorded for the year under review include : — Hispa 

 armigera (rice Hispid), Lepfocorisa varicornis (rice bug) and Schoenobius 

 incertellus [hipimctifer) (rice stem borer) on rice. The mustard Aphid 

 and mustard sawfiy, Athalia proximo^ were again reported and were 

 dealt with as in the previous year [R.A.E., A, vii, 492] ; Diacrisia 

 obliqua and Acliaea {OpJiiusa) melicerta occurred on castor-oil plants. 

 Handpicking was practised to reduce the numbers of Agrotis ypsilon 

 attacking tobacco. Plantains were damaged by a weevil, Odoiporus 

 longicollis. A Pentatomid bug, Rhynchocoris sp., is reported as a 

 general pest of orange fruits. At present it can only be destroyed by 

 trapping with a stick coated with gum. Litchi trees were seriously 

 infested by a mite, Eriophyes sp. 



Flokent (P.). La Fourmi d' Argentine. — Jl. d'Agric. Pratique, Paris, 

 xxxiv, no. 35, 26th August 1920, p. 172. 



Owing to the spread of the Argentine ant [Iridomyrmex humilis] in 

 the south of France it was resolved at a meeting held by the Central 

 Society of Agriculture of Nice and the Department of the Maritime 

 Alps that the Ministry of Agriculture should send a specialist to 

 make careful investigations along the whole of the coast with a view 

 to defining precisely the infested areas ; that the agriculturists, horti- 

 culturists and proprietors of structures affected by the ravages of the 

 ant should form a syndicate of defence vnth the object of applying 

 intensive and continued remedial measures ; and that they should be 

 supported in this task by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department, 

 and the municipalities. 



Inspection centres should be established in the infested areas to 

 prevent further dissemination of the pest. 



Menegaux (A.). Oiseaux utiles. — Jl. d'Ayric. Pratique, Paris, xxxiv, 

 no. 35, 26th August 1920, pp. 174-176', 1 plate. 



The necessity for protecting useful insectivorous birds such as 

 Saxicola oenanfhe, Ruticilla titys and Pratincola rubetra is emphasised. 

 The insects devoured by the latter include Picris brassicae, P. rapae 

 . and P. napi. 



