Planting in Fiji 483 



are extremely voracious, so that a pair will 

 destroy a great quantity of foliage ; they are 

 consequently in some parts of the world classed 

 among injurious insects. In Fiji and the 

 Friendly Islands, Lopaphus cocophagus eats the 

 coco- nut foliage and causes a scarcity of food, 

 so that it becomes a matter of necessity to 

 destroy these insects. Phasmidae have been 

 reported as causing considerable damage to 

 the coco-nut plantations on the island of Cicia ; 

 they are also common at Savu-savu Bay, 

 Wainunu, Suva, Levuka, Mango, and in the 

 Lau group. 



The damage done by Phasmidae is very 

 characteristic. Irregular, clean-cut patches are 

 eaten out of the leaflets by means of the very 

 powerful biting jaws with which the insect is 

 provided. Sometimes only a few leaflets are 

 attacked ; at other times the damage may be 

 extensive. The writer has seen a palm com- 

 pletely defoliated, only the midribs of the 

 leaflets remaining. 



These insects are entirely nocturnal in habits, 

 and conceal themselves under the folded leaflets 

 of the coco-nut palms during the daytime. 

 There are several representatives of this family 

 in Fiji, the two most important being Phibalo- 

 cera pythonius, Westw., and Lopaphus coco- 

 phagus, Newp. The former, a large green 

 wingless insect, attains a great size, several 

 specimens taken having been over 9 in. in 

 length. The latter is a slender brown insect 



