22 MONTHLY XOTES OX GRUBS AND OTHER CANE PESTS. 



to favour an adoption, whenever practicable, of the following cultural' 

 measures : — 



(1) Cultivation of the cane during summer weather followed 



immediately by ploughing such areas. 



(2) Late planting and persistent cultivation during the period' 



of oviposition, and a few Aveeks subsequent to the dis- 

 appearance of the beetles. 



(3) Ploughing or fallowing land in December. 



(4) Having the ground densely covered with Mauritius beans 



during the flight of the beetles. 



"In support of the above-mentioned procedures it may be stated 

 that certain areas under cane at Greenhills and elsewhere which were 

 planted in Octolier appear flourishing at present, while adjoining land 

 planted earlier is already badly grab-eaten. 



Predaceous Enemies. 



"Since reporting last month, a little data have been obtained respect- 

 ing the habits of bandicoots. In the intestines of a specimen recently 

 dissected at the Laboratory, the t^kins of several cane-grubs {L. alho- 

 hirta) were found, together with a wire-worm and many chitinous 

 fragments of coleopterous and other insects. Although this animal is 

 credited with being omnivorous, no vegetable remains were apparent, 

 and, judging by the structure of the mouth and its forty-eight sharp 

 teeth, it certainly seems improbable that bandicoots, as some assert, 

 damage cane stools by gnawing the roots and young stalks. 



"The small animal alluded to in previous reports as preying on 

 grubs of L. frenchi is probably a species of Phascologale, it having been 

 descril)ed to us as being about the size of a small rat, but with head and 

 mouth resembling those of a bandicoot. "We hope to trap and cage 

 some specimens of this little marsupial \vith a view to observing its 

 habits and dietary. 



Parasitism. 



"Since reporting last month, information received from the Queens- 

 land IMuseuin renders it necessary to state that the scientific name of 

 our common digger-wasp hitherto laiown to Australian entomologists as 

 Dielis formosa has recently been changed by R. E. Turner, of the British 

 Museum, to Campsomeris tasma7iiensis, Sauss. It appears that the true 

 formosa, which occurs at Kuranda and elsewhere, and is not unlike C. 

 tasmaniensis in form and general colouration, does not range south of 

 Cairns. We have not met with this species at Gordonvale. In the 

 absence of literature relating to the question, we have naturally followed 

 the lead of other scientists in supposing our familiar digger-wasp to be 

 identical with Scolia (Dielis) formosa of Guerin. 



