30 



Dusting or spraying with lead arsenate is recommended ; the vicinity 

 of the nursery should be kept free from all grass. The larvae of Rhyn- 

 chophorus palmarum, L. (gru-gru beetle) are preyed upon by those of 

 a Histerid beetle. It only attacks seed-cane fermenting from excessive 

 moisture or from want of proper treatment before planting. Soaking 

 the plants in Bordeaux mixture is advised. Xyleborus affinis (shot- 

 hole borer) never attacks healthy cane, but is generally present on 

 canes suffering from fungoid disease, especially rind fungus. The 

 larvae of Strategus aloeus (rhinoceros beetle) are killed by the green 

 muscardine fungus. They rarely attack cane and generally occur in 

 land recently cleared on which there are many decaying tree-trunks. 

 The removal and burning of all rotting wood is advised. The mealy 

 bugs, Pseudococcus calceolariae, Mask., and P. sacchari, Ckll., are 

 generally kept in check by the Coccinellid, Scymnus pieties, Gorh., so 

 that they are never numerous enough on full-growai cane to be injurious. 

 Aspidiotus sacchari, Ckll., is parasitised by an undetermined 

 Hymenopteron. This scale mainly occurs on diseased and old canes. 

 Schistocerca praesignata, Rehn in MS. (brown grasshopper) is preyed 

 on by several birds, especially the tick bird, Crotophaga ani. When 

 numerous, dusting or spraying with arsenicals will effect control. 

 Conocephaloides {Neoconocephalus) guttatus (green cane Katydid) is 

 preyed on by birds, while the eggs are parasitised by a small Hymenop- 

 teron. Homorocorypha sp., allied to H. laticeps (brown cane Katydid), 

 has the same natural enemies. Delpkax (Stenocramis) saccharivora, 

 Burm. (cane fly) has never been numerous enough to be classed as a 

 pest. Its nymphs are preyed on by an imdetermined Coccinellid and 

 a Dryinid is parasitic on them. Scapteriscus didactylus, Latr. (mole- 

 cricket) only attacks young growing plants. The lizard, Ameiva 

 surinamensis, the tick bird, Crotophaga ani, and toads are natural 

 enemies of it. A poison bait, consisting of flour, 1001b., and Paris 

 green, 2| to 3 lb., may be scattered over the land before planting. 

 Among termites, a species of Calotermes occurs occasionally on stiff 

 clay soil. Burning all nests found near the cane-stools and in the field 

 before planting is advised. 



Urich (F. W.). The coconut butterfly, Brassolis sophorae. — Bull. 

 Dept. Agric. Trinidad & Tobago, Port- of -Spain, xiv, no. 5, 1915, 

 p. 172. [Received 29th November 1915.] 



In April and May, a rather severe attack of Brassolis sophorae 

 (coconut butterfly) was reported from the east coast of Trinidad. 

 From pupae collected in the central part of the Island, a species of 

 Chalcis was reared. The cabbage palms {Oreodoxa oleracea) in the 

 Neparima district have been infested with this pest since 1908. 



Urich (F. W.). Parasol ants. — Bull. Dept. Agric. Trinidad & Tobago, 

 Pori-of-Spain^ xiv, no. 5, 1915, p. 173. [Received 29th November 

 1915.] 



The parasol ants proclaimed under the Plant Protection Ordinance 

 [see this Review, Ser. A, iii, p. 72] are Atta octospinosa and A. cephalotes. 

 The former takes first place as a pest of gardens about Port-of-Spain 

 and other towns. It also occurs on cacao estates, but its depredations 



