18 



Lantana, complete the sum of the butterflies ; one or two big 

 Sphingids are the most conspicuous of the lowland moths, which 

 indeed are not specifically numerous, though certain Noctuidae are 

 destructive. There are several common Diptera, including two 

 common species of mosquito — one nocturnal, which appears at times 

 in myriads and is supposed to be the carrier of the Dengue fever (or 

 "breakbone" !), but although I have been well bitten I have not 

 found the swellings painful ; the other is diurnal, and is a tiny insect 

 with a very painful bite. We have here the yellow fever mosquito, 

 but fortunately not the yellow fever itself as yet. More or less 

 desultory efforts have been made to cope with " the mosquito 

 problem," and it is to be hoped that they will be successful ; for 

 Honolulu on a dry, breezy, moonlight night would conform in most 

 respects to an ideal " Paradise of the Pacific " were it not for the 

 mosquitoes which render sitting out on the verandah after dark 

 almost an impossibility, certainly not romantic, unless within screens. 



Among bugs, the Australian cane-leaf hopper {Perkinsiella saccha- 

 ricida) has occasioned severe losses to sugar-cane, while the Reduviid 

 intruder Zelus peregrinus may be seen on Hibiscus hedges, orange- 

 trees, etc., spearing man's insect friends and foes impartially. The 

 bed-bug (Clinocoris lectularius) is "not uncommon in places," while 

 one disturbs shoals of the green torpedo-bug (Sipha?ita acuta) from 

 guava. Scale-insects, mealy-bugs, and plant-lice are varyingly common, 

 and kept in check by many predators and parasites, chief among 

 which is Cryptolftmus montrouzieri, a purposely introduced Coccinellid, 

 whose white-clothed larvae are adorned with waxen fringes. 



Cockroaches (B/atta americana, etc.) are very rife in some houses ; * 

 in fact, my own use of a mosquito curtain at night is more to keep 

 away " roaches " than mosquitoes. Two or three grasshoppers and 

 one cricket are common {Xiphidion fuscus, Oxya ve/ox, Elimcea 

 appendiculata, etc.). 



Ants are ubiquitous and the greatest nuisance imaginable. Aculeates 

 form a good proportion of the more visible fauna. Xylocopa brasilia- 

 noru7n tunnelling the telephone and telegraph poles, Odynerus 

 ceneipennis paying attention to the bamboo of one's verandah chair, 

 and species of Polistes and Sceliphron ccetnetitaria forming mud-cells 

 on the ceilings of the rooms and verandahs, the Polistes stinging 

 horribly. 



With the exception of the silver fish (Lepisma), two species of 

 termites, and the " common " flea, all working havoc in the house 

 according to their special gifts, and some common beetles whose 

 names I do not know or have forgotten, these are practically all the 

 insects that can be obtained in Oahu without special search. 



For further, more detailed, information I would refer you to the 

 " Fauna Hawaiiensis," edited by Dr. D. Sharp, now in course of 

 publication. 



Honolulu, 



February 2$th, 1905. 



* Most houses here are built of wood, but are in little danger of fire as the 

 town is lit by electricity. 



