270 



THE ARCHIPPUS BUTTERFLY EATEN BY MICE. 



Dr. IVIerriam has also given us a box containing a number of wings of 

 the common Arcliippus butterfly [Danais archippus = Anosia plexippus) 

 which were sent to him by Mr. Attwater, above mentioned, with the 

 following label: "Wings of butterflies, the bodies of which have been 

 eaten by white-footed mice, from an island in Aransas Bay, four miles 

 south of Kockport, Tex., collected Kovember, 1892." This observa- 

 tion bears an especial siguiticance. The Archippus butterfly is a mi- 

 gratory species, as has been frequently stated in these pages, and flies 

 south on the approach of winter for hibernating purposes. It is, more- 

 over, one of the species which is seldom or never attacked by birds on 

 account of its nauseous taste and odor. Abundant evidence in support 

 of this fact we brought out in an article on mimicry as illustrated by 

 Limenitis disippus and Danais archippus in our Third Report on the 

 Insects of Missouri. The former species bears a strong protective re- 

 semblance to the latter. Mr. Attwater's observation shows that, how- 

 ever exempt the Archippus may be from birds .and other natural ene- 

 mies, it is unquestionably destroyed by these little w^hite-footed mice in 

 considerable numbers when hidden away in hibernating quarters in the 

 south. The box which he sent contained 43 hind wings and 50 front 

 wings, and of the li'out wings there were 23 right and 27 left, repre- 

 senting the destruction of at least 27 si)ecimens. The mouse referred 

 to in the field note. Dr. Merriam informs us, is not a white-footed mouse, 

 but one of the grasshopper or scorpion mice of the genus Onychomys. 



NOTES ON SOME INSECT PESTS OF THE FIJI ISLANDS. 



Our agent, Mr. A. Koebele, has lately sent us a small lot of speci- 

 mens with accompanying notes of interest. The Sandwich Island 

 Sugar-cane Borer, which was treated in volume i of Insect Life (pp. 

 185-189) he states is also very destructive to cane in the Fiji Islands. 

 A somewhat similar Calandiid was associated with this species under 

 the same number and has doubtless the same or similar habits. Neither 

 of these, it should be said, belong to the true genus Sphenophorus as 

 at present restricted. A third species is also sent with the statement 

 that it is destructive in the larva state to cane by feeding on the larger 

 roots. It is a Scarabjieid, bearing some resemblance to our Lachnos- 

 terna, and probably belongs to the genus Auchylonycha. 



Mr. Koebele also sends a Tineid Moth, belonging, evidently, to the 

 Plutellidie, and found feeding in the stalks of the Sugar-cane, and a 

 small, black Pyromorphid closely related to our Acoloithus and Harris- 

 ina. The latter is said to be spreading over the South Sea Islands 

 where it is destroying the palm leaves by devouring the epidermis. 

 He further says, writing under date of February 13, that all the cocoa- 

 nut plantations in the Fijis are being ravaged, the trees bearing only a 

 few green leaves at their tops. He has been informed that the insect 

 first appeared some years ago at the Sandwich Islands, coming, it is 



