46 FHOGHOI'J'EK lil.KUIT OF SUOAK.-CANE. 



on sugar-cane. In January 1916 it was reported in small numbers all 

 o\er the Island by Loftin, and in April of the same year particularly on 

 grass in Barancou. 



The insect is most abundant in the wet months from July to Novem- 

 ber and particularly so from September to November. The eggs are 

 laid in the soil and take 12 to 20 dajs to hatch. There are four nymph 

 stages occupying 32 to 40 days and in the later moults the insect goes 

 higher up the stem to the angle between the leaf and the stem. 



In addition to sugar-cane and the above grass the insect has been 

 found on Guinea-grass (Panicum maximum), .Johnson grass (Sorrjhum 

 kalepense) and on A7idroiio(jon muricatus. 



The damage to the pastures in the province of Caminguey in 1916 

 was estimated by Cardin as from $20,000 to |25,000, as even when the 

 grass survived it was badly covered by weeds. The loss to the sugar- 

 cane is stated to be not extensive or of long duration and can easily be 

 arrested by removing the lower leaves and cleaning the field of grass. 



As a method of control in the pastui'es a broad hopper-dozer is 

 recommended, sixteen feet across and three feet high, drawn by two 

 horses, one at each side, and painted inside with tar to which the 

 insects will stick. 



JAMAICA. 



1 have received specimens from Jamaica which appear to be 

 Tomaspis {Monerphora) bicinctus, the same species that has been 

 recorded as damaging cane and grass in Cuba, but up to the present 

 there is no record of actual damage from the island. 



Ritchie in his report for the year 1916-17 (Ritchie 1917) mentions a 

 Cercopid (froghopper) damaging the developing buds, blossoms and 

 berry-clusters of Pimento trees (Pimenta officinalis) in Jamaica but 

 it is almost certainl)^ not of the genus Tomaspis and is probably a 

 Clastopter^^T^. 



Tomasjiis jamaicensis is described from the island by Distant 

 (1909 p. 197-8!, and Monecphora (Tomasins) hasalis by Walker (List 

 Homopt. Ins. Brit. Mus. III. (1851) p. 683.) 



"ANTILLES." 



Fabi'icius in 1794 (Ent. Syst. lY p. 48 (4) ) describes a froghoijper 

 Cercopis coccinea from the "Central American Islands." Tt is said to be 

 uniformly red without spots. In 1851 Walker (List Homopt. Ins. Brit. 

 Mus. Ill p. 666) says that it belongs to the genus Tomaspns. Nothing 

 further appears to be known of its habitat or habits. 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



SURINAM (DUTCH GUIANA). 



At the end of 1915 damage was caused to the cane on an estate in 

 Surinanj by a fi-oghoppei\ Mr. J. W. Gonggrijp in a letter to 

 Mr. F. W. Urich, Entomologist to the Board of Agriculture, Trinidad, 

 said that " the fields attacked looked as if they had been burnt " and 

 that the insect "had done a great deal of damage." Specimens sent 

 proved to be a species different from the Trinidad froghopper, and have 

 been identified by Mr. Urich as Tomnspis trisiis {see Plate I Figs. 16 & 17). 



On the 19th May-'= I passed through Surinam on my way to British 

 Guiana and was able to spend a few hours at Marienburg Estate where 



* In my report (Williams 1017) 'June" is printed by mistake for "May." 



