374 Miscellaneous. 



it pierces with holes quickly spoil, and soon fall to the ground 

 and rot. All the Lepidoptera of the genus Ophideres being, as I 

 have just shown, furnished with a terebrant trunk, it is incon- 

 testable tbat they have similar habits, and that they will bore 

 into oranges and other fruits. As they are very widely diffused 

 in tropical regions, they must justly be ranged among injurious 

 insects. Unfortunately their early stages are unknown, so that 

 no really practical method of destruction suggests itself to the 

 mind ; but their lai'ge size and striking colours allowing them to 

 be recognized at the first glance, they may be killed without any 

 fear of reproach for committing a judicial error. — Comptes Rendus, 

 August 30, 1875, pp. 397-400. 



Corals at the Galapagos Islands. By L. F. Pourtales. 



The Galapagos Islands are, as is well known, an important point 

 in the geographical distribution of corals, being almost exactly on 

 the boundary of the coral-producing part of the Pacific Ocean and 

 that portion which is destitute of them on account of the low tempe- 

 rature of the water. All the writers on the subject have placed this 

 group of islands in this latter portion. During the visit of the United- 

 States Coast-Survey steamer 'Hassler,' a number of specimens of co- 

 rals, of which the following is the list, were picked up on the beaches 

 of several of the islands : — 



Ulangia Bradleyi, Verrill. Indefatigable Island. 

 Pavonia giyantea, Verrill. James Island. 



clivosa, Verrill. Indefatigable Island. 



, sp. James Island. 



Astropsammia Pedersenii, Verrill. 



PocMipora capitata, Verrill. Jervis and Charles Islands. 



Pontes, sp. 



The undetermined Pavonia is a massive species with larger calicles 

 than those of the two other ones, and more porous and lighter. The 

 specimen is too much rolled for nearer determination. The Pontes 

 is massive also and in the same condition. 



The species are all, or nearly all, identical with those found at 

 Panama. They are mostly reef-builders, but here live probably iso- 

 lated and at a certain depth, having never been observed in situ. In 

 individual growth they are fully equal to those from more favoured 

 localities, the rolled pieces of Pavonia measuring six or seven inches 

 in diameter, thus indicating masses of considerable size originally. 

 They are not confined to the northernmost islands of the group, 

 where we should more naturally look for them, from the greater 

 proximity to the warm current, but, as the list shows, a Pocillipora 

 was found at Charles Island, one of the southernmost. The proba- 

 bility of fragments drifting from one island to the other is very 

 small, owing to the considerable depth of water between them. — 

 Silliman , s American Journal, October 1875. 



