GEEYBACK CANE BEETLE, LEPIDODERMA ALBOHTRTUM. 9 



Avitli the cane-grub. He iiieiitioiis two species as being most destructive, 

 Lepidoderma alhohirtum and Anoplognathns Jincaius, which is now 

 known as A. hoisduvali. Further, he remarks: — 



"As these insects are native and oily attack the cane incidentally, 

 their natural food being the roots of grasses, it is impossible to exter- 

 minate them, for even if we succeeded in clearing the canefields of them 

 at one time beetles would soon find their way from the uncleared land 

 and deposit more eggs. It is, however, very unlikely tliat any considerable 

 increase will take place in their numbers if we protect their natural 

 enemies, insectivorous birds. At present, I am sorry to say. we are doing 

 just the opposite. Some laws indeed do exist on the subject, but such 

 laws are useless unless backed up by public opinion. A'ery few even 

 of those directly interested in agriculture think of discouraging the 

 slaughter of l)irds and the destruction of eggs by their own children, 

 hence it is seldom that birds are seen in any number in the neighbourhood 

 of a homestead. . . . ]Many Inrds prey on the insects, both in their 

 grub and perfect stages; some are able to detect the presence of a grub 

 underground. I believe that the bandicoots, although usually as we all 

 know not far from vegetarians, have no objection to the grubs as a 

 variation in their diet. 1 will not go so far as to recommend the protec- 

 tion of bandicoots. Frogs and lizards destroy a great number of beetles 

 themselves ; the former are not miich interfered with, but a good many 

 of the larger lizards are destroyed, owing to the |)e('uliar and mistaken 

 but very prevalent idea that they are venomous." 



15th November, 1892, a correspondent (3) of the Sugar Journal 

 wrote that the grub-pest w^as unusually severe during the preceding two 

 seasons on the Herbert and Johnstone Rivers, and stated that most of 

 the injury was undoubtedly due to the larvae of Lepidoderma albohirfum. 



In a report on a visit to the Clarence River district, N.S.W., ]\Iarch 

 1893, Sydney Olliff (8) recorded several species of beetle larva? found 

 at the roots of sugar-cane. Among these he recognised Anoplognathns 

 concolor Burm., Lepidoderma alholiirtum Waterh., Lepidiota squamnlata 

 Waterh., and a Heteronyx species, but in no case did he find them 

 numerous or destructive. 



A report (10) published in the Sugar Journal, July, 1894, said that 

 the grubs had done most serious damage for years on the Johnstone 

 River; and further on in this same report is ]Mr. Swallow's most 

 interesting account of their status in the Cairns district. (It must be 

 noted that this report was originally published in 1893 for private 

 circulation among the officers of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company.) 



"We first noticed the grub-pest seriously between three and four 

 years ago (i.e. 1889), and it was all over the estate and right up to the 

 Pyramid Plaiitation ; in fact, around the place generally things looked 

 very serious for us. so we came to the conclusion that something must 

 be done at once to check the pest. That year one-third of the estate was 

 ploughed out after the cane had been taken off; 40 acres of cane gave 

 but 10 tons sugar, through the grubs being so bad. All wood lying on 

 the ground was either sent to the mill as firewood or Imrnt ; all trash, 

 and in fact anything that would burn, was burnt. 



"We. at the same time, started a travelling f()wl-house on wheels, 

 holding about 100 fowls. These fowls were taken to the field and turned 

 out loose behind the ploughs. In the early morning they answered well, 

 but as their appetites became satisfied they would come back to the house 

 and rest, going out again as they became hungry. One kanaka boy had 



