THE ANBIAL LIFE OF THE GROUP. 383 



liberated on all the iinportaiit plantations. Science Avas tinis a^ain called to 

 the aid of the planters, as it had been many times before, and the experiment 

 worked out has been so successful that the eft'eets of the leaf-hopper on the 

 cane crop of Hawaii is almost a negligible quantity. The outbreak is now 

 under control, and the whole industry saved and restored to its normal con- 

 dition. 



Tkk St'(iAR-C.\NE Borer. 



The search foi- the parasites feeding on the almost equally destructive 

 sugar-cane borer-' has been a thrilling scientific adventure. Happily, after 

 years of search. Dr. Frcdt-i-ick iluir was rewarded by the discovery, and suli- 

 sequently succeedei! in the successful iiitrodiictioii into Hawaii, of pai-asites to 

 prey u])on this most destructive insect. 



Laxt.\.x.\ Insects. 



E.\anq)les of the coutnilliim of injurious insects by introduciiU'; their insect 

 enemies might be multiplied at length, but one more instance, of a somewhat dif- 

 ferent nature, in which insects were used to combat the spread of an injurious 

 plant must suffice. A great many years ago (1858) the connnon Lantana,* a na- 

 tive plant of the subtropical regions of South America, but elsewhei'e cultivated 

 extensively as a green-house or ornamental shrub, was introduced into Hawaii as a 

 garden plant. In course of time the mynah bird, which was likewise introduced, 

 made the discovery that the small bine-black aroniatii- berries of the Lantana 

 were edible. As a resvdt, in a very few years this hardy plant had been spread 

 broadcast to all parts of the group by these birds. Thousands of acres of 

 what was formerly open pasture land became completely choked with the rank 

 growth, while even in the lower forests it grew several feet in height, often 

 foi'ming an almost impenetrable, though beautiful, flowering jungle. 



Although the plant was regarded as liencticial by reason of its power to 

 force its long roots down deep into the earth, thereby loosening the soil and 

 furnishing to it a large amoiuit of humus as fertilizer, its inroads into pasture 

 and tillable land became so marked and persistent as to cause it to be regarded 

 as a serious scourge. Ent<mio]ogists began to look into the natural enemies of 

 the plant, anl lud'ore long had found a number of insects and fungus parasites 

 that naturally fed on the Lantana, preferring it to any other food. 



By far the most important among these is the Lantana seed-fiy,-"" which is 

 a small black two-wing insect, the maggot of which lives in and destroys the 

 seed. So perfectly has it done its work that in favorable localities it is diffi- 

 cult to find a seed that has not been killed by this insect. This is of great 

 importance, for if land is once cleared of Lantana it will not gi-ow again, 

 though unfortunately guava often springs up to take its ])la cr. 



The Lantana plume-moth,'' a small lirown moth about a half inch in 



^ Rliabdoeneiiiis = ( ftpheniiiihorus) nhscurus. <■ Lantann Cnmiii-ii. '- Atirnml/zn sp. 



" Platyptilia sp. 



