51 



the bases of leaves of Freycinetia and other plants, the larvae 

 being arboreal and not living in water, and they occur regularly 

 on Tantalus, koelense being very common. Psocidae are very 

 common and several native species are present, but many 

 recently introduced forms have now occupied this mountain, 

 and the native ones are more agreeably studied in more remote 

 Icoalities. 



The above lists though no doubt very imperfect, are suffi- 

 ciently extensive to show that a fine field for work is close at 

 hand for those who have any ambition to study the peculiar 

 fauna of Hawaii. The best localities are within an hour and a 

 half's walk of our meeting place here. I would rather advise the 

 thorough study of some of the more interesting of the insects 

 already known, than the usual hunt after new species, the 

 acquisition of which will probably be of comparatively little 

 importance. To know the life-history of Rhyncogonus blackburni 

 and why it remains so comparatively weak in individuals; or to 

 fully ascertain the life-history of some of the Carabids, and why 

 again some are so common, others so extremely rare; what fur- 

 nishes food for the larvae of such common species as Metromenus 

 epicurus or Colpocaccus tantalus would be far more interesting 

 than the discovery of half a dozen new Proterhinus , which would 

 surely differ but little from species already known. However, 

 looked at even from the view of acquiring new species he would 

 be a bold man, who would say that there are not many such to 

 be obtained on Mount Tantalus. 



MARCH 1st, 1906. 



The fourteenth meeting was presided over by Mr, Kirkaldy. 

 Notes and Exhibitions. 



Dr. Cobb, in examining sugar-cane affected with the "iliau" 

 disease, had observed a Lepidopterous larva in nimibers constantly 

 present where the disease existed. The latter being saprophytic 

 he was inclined to suspect that some relation existed between 

 these caterpillars and the disease. At the Hutchison Plantation 

 he had observed another sugar-cane disease associated with 

 Lepidopterous Larvae. On one plantation on Hawaii he had 

 observed earwigs in the cane in great abundance, while in Hilo 



