FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 139 
with a small, wood-boring, anobiid beetle which is often called 
‘‘Death-watch’’, These beetles seemed to infest the timbers of 
our landlady’s house in numbers and every night after the place 
had become quiet we could hear the regular tapping or ticking 
sound of the insects as they struck their heads rapidly against the 
sides of their burrows. Although this sound is supposed to be 
prophetic of a death in the family, I was unable to discover any 
evidence of such a catastrophe except one or two fowls which were 
sacrificed to satisfy our gastronomic cravings. 
We did not take many weevils but at Nukulau a big grayish 
fellow (Elytrurus acuticauda) was not uncommon. 
Butterflies (Rhopalocera) are not very common. In this far- 
away land it was a great joy to come upon a well-known repre- 
sentative of the group, the monarch butterfly (Anosia plexippus). 
At Walu Bay I found a black and white butterfly common 
enough. The right side of the tip of the abdomen is furnished 
with a yellowish, filamentous introversible scent gland which the 
insect extended rapidly from time to time seemingly in an attempt 
to discourage the approach of enemies. <A distinct odor could 
be detected as emanating from this gland. 
Moths (Heterocera), particularly night-flying forms, are fairly 
common and as agricultural pursuits gain in popularity some of 
these are likely to cause considerable damage. Of the insects in 
Fiji which have a distinct economic bearing, the coconut moth 
(Levuana iridescens) is one of the most important. The adult 
moth is of a metallic blue color with an expanse of about 34-inch 
and looks rather like our Theclas. In the wicinity of coconut 
plantations and even on the very small islands of the group where 
coconut trees form volunteer igrowths, the moths are abundant. 
The damage is done by the larve which burrow into the great 
fronds of the trees, weakening them and when a good ‘“‘blow’’ 
comes, these branches are torn off and the vitality of the tree is 
thereby reduced. 
The two-winged flies (Diptera) are well represented. Strangely 
enough, house flies (Musca domestica) are not particularly abun- 
dant in Fiji and very few of the houses are furnished with 
sereens. The stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) occurs on the is- 
lands. 
Owing, in part, to the unusual amount of precipitation, mos- 
quitoes are abundant and their breeding places are numerous. 
