143 



Henry (G. M.). Cassia nodosa Tree defoliated by Caterpillars of Catop- 

 silia, F. — Spolia Zeylanica, Colombo, x, no. 38, November 1916, 

 pp. 281-282. [Received 18th January 1917.] 



A similar incident to that described above, took place at the Royal 

 Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya early in 1916. No birds were observed 

 to be eating the caterpillars, though during an outbreak in 1914 king 

 crows {Dicrurus leucopygialis) fed eagerly on the pupae. The damage 

 done was only local and no permanent injury to the trees was effected. 



RoEPKE (W.). Wetenschappelik Onderzoek. [Scientific Research.] — 

 Meded. Proefs. Midden-Java, Batavia, no. 23, 1916, pp. 16-29. 



This report covers the year 1915-1916. The Cantharid, Epicauta 

 ruficeps, 111., is common in eastern Java and parasitises the eggs 

 of locusts. During the year locusts occurred on most estates and 

 also beyond the range of the teak forests, so that new secondary 

 foci were found, though infestation was usually unimportant. It 

 was remarkable that the Mylahris beetles were less numerous than 

 in the preceding year ; this may be due to the larvae being controlled 

 by parasites. Helopeltis occurred together with various ants and 

 with the white cacao scales {Pseudococcus crotonis and P. citri). 

 Among the new food-plants of Helopeltis noted were Inocarpus edulis 

 and Eryngium foetidum. The bark-beetle attacking cacao appears 

 to be distinct from Xyleborus coffeae. Work was continued on two 

 previously reported species closely allied to the cacao moth 

 (Acroeercops cramereUa) and on the parasites of the latter. The 

 Hepialid borer, Phassus damor, Moore, appeared on cacao. Advice 

 was repeatedly given regarding a species of Mudaria boring in kapok. 

 The occurrence of Chrysomphalus didyospermi was reported. 



Heer van der Goot's report, which is included, deals with a number 

 of pests. The results of work on the gramang ant (Plagiolepis 

 longipes) will be pubhshed shortly, but, meanwhile, it is stated that 

 this ant has an extraordinary influence on the increase of the green 

 coffee scale {Coccus viridis). The sHght control exercised on this 

 scale by Coccinellids is due to their slow development, slow increase 

 and moderate feeding. The biology of the parasites of the green 

 scale was further studied. The most common of them is the Chalcid, 

 Coccophagus (Encyrtus) bogoriensis, Koningsb., but it is not prolific 

 and its numbers are sometimes considerably reduced by hyper- 

 parasites, especially another Chalcid, Myiocnema comjjerei, Ashm. 



A paper will shortly be pubhshed on the black cacao ant {Doli- 

 choderus bitubercidatus), the beneficial effects of which are considered 

 proved. This useful insect must, however, be regarded as dangerous 

 on coffee estates, as it favours the development of the green scale. 

 In a series of experiments, repeated under constant conditions, the 

 proportion of injury by Helopeltis to cacao plants, uninfested by 

 ants, infested by gramang ants, and infested by black cacao ants, 

 was as 100 to 40 to 5. The action of the black cacao ant does not 

 lie so much in driving Helopeltis away as in disturbing it. It also 

 favours the increase of the white cacao scale {Pseudococcus crotonis), 

 and when this is abundant and covers the cacao pods, they are less 



