457 



'S. (L.) suhpatelliforme, from the Gold Coast ; S. (L.) subhirsiitum, from 

 the Gold Coast, on Blighia sapida, attended by small red ants, and on 

 Tabernaemontana, Landolphia, Oroxylon and Garcinia ; L. setigeruni, 

 from Uganda, on guava ; Eucalymnatus (L.) chelonioides, from British 

 Guiana, on Pachim insignis and P. aquaiica ; Chrgsomphalus {Aspi- 

 diotiis) erythraspidis, from British Guiana, on Erythraspis glauca ; 

 Evaspidiotus (A.) fimbriatus, Mask., var. capensis, n., from South 

 Africa, on Cycads ; Aspidiolus (? Chrysomphaliis) mauritianus, from 

 ^lauritius, on palm trees; Odonaspis {Aspidiotus) pimentae, from 

 Jamaica, on Pimenta officinalis ; Chiomispis distorta, from South Africa ; 

 C. capensis. from South Africa, on Acacia sp. ; C. jici, from British 

 E. Africa, on \\ald fig. 



Distant (W. L.). On Some Rhynchota of Economic Importance from 

 Colombia. — Bull. Entom. Research, London, vii, no. 4, May 1917, 

 pp. 381-382, 1 plate. 



TricJiocentrus ? gibbosus, Horv., and Collaria oleosa, Dist., are 

 recorded as injurious to rice, and Monalonion alratum, Dist., M. illustris, 

 sp. n., M. megiston, Kirk., and M. collar is, sp. n., were found damaging 

 cacao pods. 



FisKE (W. F.). Insects Injurious to Vegetation. — Bull. Entom. 

 Research, London, vii, no. 4, May 1917, pp. 383-389. 



The author criticises the general attitude of economic entomologists 

 towards the question of insects being injurious to vegetation and 

 deprecates their adherence to a doctrine which is admittedly antiquated. 

 AVith a %dew to emphasising his argument, he discusses the work 

 entitled " A Treatise on some of the Insects Injurious to Vegetation "' 

 \\Titten by Dr. Thaddeus William Harris in response to a request by 

 the government of the State of Massachusetts in 1837 that he should 

 survey and report upon the insect fauna of that State. In Dr. Harris's 

 view, insects were created by supernatural agency in order to fulfil 

 some essential part in the economy of nature and their relations, both 

 to vegetation and to mankind, must be either definitely inimical or 

 definitely beneficial. The author of the present paper expresses 

 surprise that the outlook of the majority of economic entomologists 

 to-day is almost identical with this \'iew, expressed so many years ago. 

 He argues that in the light of the theories of Lamarck and Darwin, 

 insects, as well as man, are creatures of en\'ironment, imposing new 

 conditions of life upon others as their evolution proceeds, and having 

 new conditions of life imposed upon them by other organisms. The 

 factors that operate in the natural control of species are largely 

 identical with those which directed the evolution of these species into 

 their present forms, and which continue to operate in a never-ending 

 process. The constant reference by entomologists to the " natural 

 enemies " of other species is opposed to the Darwinian hvpothesis of 

 good competing with good to prove which is the better, rather than 

 good competing with evil for the mastery. A parasitic species cannot 

 be the enemy of its host species Avithout becoming its own enemy by 

 the same act ; if it destroys its host, it has destroyed its own chances 

 of survival. The fittest parasite to sur^dve must be the one which 



