38 



Sumatra. Helopeltis sumatranus was noticed on Uncaria (gambir), as 

 was also recorded by Koepke some years previously. This species 

 attacked leaves of tea which were placed in a cage wdth Uncaria 

 leaves, and as no preference was shown for the latter, it is evident that 

 tea is a suitable food-plant. Helopeltis antonii was observed on 

 Eugenia malaccensis. A species of Pachypeltis, beUeved to be 

 P. humeralis, was seen on many plants {Vitis, etc.) growing near tea 

 and in some instances the tea foliage had been attacked, though not 

 seriously. While it is by no means certain that these three species 

 will prove injurious in Sumatra, where the tea plants are very 

 vigorous, co-operative preventive measures should not be neglected. 

 The importation from Java of cacao pods and of tea, cinchona and 

 cacao plants should be prohibited in order to restrict the introduction 

 of Helopeltis antonii and to prevent that Of other species of Helopeltis 

 and of Pachypeltis vittiscutis. The vigorous growth of gambir and tea 

 should be promoted and these plants should be thoroughly pruned in 

 the manner suggested by Leefmans [see this Revieiv, Ser. A, v, p. 416]. 



The fourth section of this paper deals with. Brevipalpus ohovatus 

 (orange mite) which in Java causes serious damage on estates at or 

 above an altitude of 3,300 feet. In Sumatra the plantations are 

 below that limit, so that serious injury need not be apprehended. 

 Preventive measures are advised, however, on the first appearance of 

 this pest in the high-lying estates, in some of which infestation of 

 some consequence was observed. 



Appended to this paper is a circular on Helopeltis sumatranus by 

 Mr. A. A. H. Rutgers, Director of the Experiment Station of the East 

 Coast of Sumatra Rubberplanters' Association. Though H. sumatranus 

 has been found only on gambir up to now, experiments showed tea 

 leaves to be attacked three times as nmch as gambir leaves. The 

 occurrence of this Capsid in plantations may be detected by observing 

 the presence of small (2-3 mm.) black spots on the very young leaves. 

 The insect itself is best sought for early in the morning and is easily 

 recognisable from the presence of a spine projecting from the back 

 between the base of the wings. 



A second appendix is a systematic paper by S. Leefmans entitled 

 " Some Capsids found in Sumatra," which describes the three species 

 dealt with in the third section of this paper. 



Riviere (C). Extraits des Proces-verbaux des Stances g6n6rales de la 

 Soci§t6 : Entomologie. [Extracts from the Minutes of the General 

 Meetings of the Society : Entomology.] — Bull. Sac. Nat. Accli- 

 mat. France, Paris, Ixiv, no. 10, October 1917, pp. 401-402. 



The spread in Northern Africa of some insects that have become 

 endemic is occupying considerable attention. Phylloxera is spreading 

 to such an extent that European vines are rapidly disappearing and 

 the reconstruction of the vineyards with American stocks is an urgent 

 necessity. A polyphagous Coccid, Chrysomphalus dictyospermi 

 pinnulijera, Walk, {minor, Berl.), is a serious pest on orange- trees and 

 on the small-leaved species of Ficus, and resists every form of 

 treatment, which is in any case difficult on large trees. The author 

 contends that laboratory methods should be abandoned and some 

 practical method sought for the control of this pest and also for the 



