54 



Dryinid parasites of P. saccharicida were also obtained. The natural 

 control of P. saccharicida and its allies in China is chiefly due to egg- 

 parasites, which appear to be the same species as those found in Queens- 

 land and Fiji. Two or three species of Coccinellids feeding on Aphids 

 and young hoppers were observed. Generally speaking the agents 

 affecting the control of P. saccharicida in Australia, China, the Malay 

 Peninsula and Java are the same, and these or nearly allied parasites 

 also infest P. vitiensis in Fiji, P. sinensis in China, and P. vastatrix in 

 Java. Chrysomphahs aonidum and Lepidosaphes pinnaejormis were 

 found in China in small numbers, as well as parasites infesting them. 

 Parlatoria ziziphus is more abundant, but is also kept under control by 

 parasites. Leaves and branches bearing these scales were forwarded 

 to Honolulu in the hopes of establishing the parasites. A near ally of 

 Dacvs cucurbitae attacks melons and cucumbers in China, and a beetle 

 nearly related to the Japanese beetle, Adoretus umhrosus var. tenui- 

 maculatus, was found on grape-vines. 



Another appendix describes the author's journey from Singapore 

 via Kuala Lumpur to Java, where he visited Batavia and Buitenzorg 

 and various experimental stations throughout the Island. In the 

 Malay Stat.es enquiries were first made as to the occurrence of 

 R. obscurus, but it appears to be unknown there in sugar-cane, though 

 two allied species, Cosmopolites sordidus and Rhyncophorus ferruginetis, 

 occur in bananas. Perh'nsiella saccharicida was one of the first insects 

 found, and a Coccinellid, probably Cryplolaemus montrouzieri, was 

 found to be very active in keeping down the cane coccus [Pseudo- 

 coccus sacchari]. At the West Java Station at Pekalongan sugar-cane 

 is very free from insects, but the leaves are frequently spotted and 

 striped with yellow marks which are probably due in part to leaf- 

 hoppers, especially Phenice moesta and other insects. Three undeter- 

 mined leaf -hoppers allied to P. saccharicida were also observed. These 

 were controlled to a considerable extent by egg-parasites, apparently 

 closely allied to the Chinese species, and were also attacked by a 

 Dryinid and a Stylopid. The larvae of three large beetles, Xylotrupes 

 gideon, Oryctes rhinoceros and Rhynchophorus jerrugineus, were 

 occasionally found in the stems of sugar-cane. These palm beetles are 

 very common and do a large amount of damage to young palms. 

 They are preyed upon by the larvae of two or three carnivorous 

 beetles. Rhahdocnemis obscurus is unknown in Java, the worst insect 

 pests being moth-boring larvae and a beetle larva of the genus 

 Anomala. A weevil, said to be Cryptorrhynckus mangiferae, and Dacus 

 ferrugvneus attack mangos. 



Having failed to find R. obscurus in Java, the author visited one or 

 two areas in Borneo. No examples could be found, but C. sordidus and 

 R. ferrugineus occurred in banana and palm trees, attended by Hydro- 

 phihds and Histerids as in Java. No direct parasites were found. 

 At Telok Ayer, Perkinsiella vastatrix was found in sugar-cane with its 

 attendant egg-parasites. 



On the assumption that the natural home of R. obscurus is either the 

 western or middle portion of the Malay Archipelago, where it is un- 

 common owing to its being kept under control by natural enemies, and 

 that it has travelled eastward unaccompanied by these, the author 

 decided to investigate the islands to the west of New Guinea, where it is 

 reported to be common and destructive. In Amboina R. obscurus, 



