391 



occurs most commonly during the spring months. The night flights 

 of adults are most marked during November and December, and it 

 has been found that those captured at lights during October and 

 November are more often females than males, and since at this time 

 oviposition has not taken place, the use of trap-lights should constitute 

 a valuable means of control. Further observations on this point of 

 sex proportion are being made. The most satisfactory control 

 measure in small areas is the persistent use of poisoned bait, but 

 repellents have been found of little value. Flooding land for 24 

 hours or more may be practicable in some localities ; by this means 

 nymphs and adults are forced to the surface, where they fall a prey 

 to insectivorous birds, while the eggs fail to hatch after submersion 

 for a day or longer. 



White-grub injury to sugar-cane was very frequent during the year, 

 and especially severe on ratooned canes. The discontinuance of 

 ratooning, though often desirable, is not practicable, as the smaller 

 mills supphed by a small acreage of cane land caim.ot afford to lose 

 the extra time required for a planted crop to mature. The large 

 common species of Lachnosterna was captured in large numbers by 

 means of a 400-candle power gasoline lamp, placed near the ground 

 and operated as soon as the spring flight of the beetles began. Both 

 sexes were taken in about equal numbers, and it was found that only 

 17 per cent, of the females had completed egg-laying. 



Both the young and adult of Amphiaciista caraibea, a dark-brown 

 cricket frequenting cool, moist locations, have been recorded as 

 severely damaging various seedlings in the station plant-houses. 

 This species, which has also been recorded as a household pest of 

 foodstuffs, damages plants by burrowing beneath them and feeding 

 from below, much in the same manner as the mole-cricket, injury by 

 it being often attributed to the latter. The eggs, which are usually 

 laid singly in the upper inch of soil, but which may be dropped 

 promiscuously on the surface, hatch in about a month. 



A serious outbreak of the yellow Aphid, Sipha flava, on young cane, 

 severely retarding its growth, and in some cases causing its death, 

 was eventually brought under control by natural enemies. 



Sterictiphora zaddachi, the larvae of which feed on the leaves of 

 Coccoloba uvifera (sea-grape) and Chrysobakmus icaco, is the only 

 sawfly recorded from the W. Indies. The eggs are laid in clusters 

 on the under-side of the leaf and the larvae are gregarious. 



By far the most satisfactory spray yet found for the majority of 

 Porto E-ican insects is the parafiin-oil emulsion used by the U.S. 

 Department of Agriculture in its work in Florida, since it is cheaper 

 and less troublesome to prepare than home-made lime-sulphur. 



The termite recorded in the previous report [see this Review, Ser. A, 

 V, p. 227] under the name Leucotermes sp. as tunnelling in furniture and 

 woodwork, has proved to be a species of Cryptotermes. 



Van Zwaluwenbueg (R. H.). The Changa or West Indian Mole 

 Cricket. — Porto Rico Agric. Expt. Sta., Mayaguez, Bull. no. 23, 

 12th February 1918, 28 pp., 3 plates. [Received 15th July 1918.] 



Much of the information contained in this bulletin has been 

 previously noticed [see this Review, Ser. A, vi, p. 296]. Scapteriscus 



