60 G. C. DUPGEON TWO WEST AFRICAN 



In no instance on the Gold Coast was the damage done by this insect great, 

 but puncturings were commonly seen in almost every })lantation. The insect 

 itself was seldom observed. 



Care should be taken to prevent the spread of this pest, as it is an extremely 

 difficult one to combat owing to its great activity. It should be looked for 

 on punctured pods and killed whenever found, as, upon multiplication, it 

 might become a most formidable enemy to the industry. 



2. Tlie Cocoa Barh-Sapper (Sahlbergella theobroma. Distant). 



During the year 1909, Mr. Evans, Travelling Instructor of Agriculture in 

 the Gold Coast, had his attention drawn to the ravages, in certain cocoa- 

 growing districts in that country, of an insect which he collected and showed 

 to me on the occasion of my last tour. I found this to be a species of 

 Hemiptera, which has since been examined by Mr. W. Ij. Distant, who pro- 

 nounced it to be a species of Capsid^e new to science, and has recently 

 described it under the name of Saldhergella tlieohroma (' Entomologist/ 1909, 

 p. 252). Another species belonging to the same genus was previously described 

 by Dr. W. M. Graham as infesting cocoa in Southern Ashanti, but this has 

 been found to be identical with S, singiilaris, Hagl. (Gen. ? noA\ Jongicornis, 

 Graham, Journ. Econ. Biol. iii. p. 113, pi. viii. figs. 1-2, 1908).* 



The localities chiefly affected by the attacks of the bark-sapper in the Gold 

 Coast were said to be in the vicinity of Bompata (Ashanti) and below Abetifi 

 (Akim). In travelling through the cocoa plantations from the Anum district, 

 on the east of the Yolta, to Kumasi, by way of the Krobo plantations, 

 Begoro, 'Mpraesu, Bompata, etc., the presence of the insect was first noticed 

 at Abrempomsu, about 18 miles east of Begoro. At this place a new cocoa 

 plantation had been put out in an isolated position in the heart of the forest, 

 with intervening plantains, and most of the plants were in a dying or dead 

 state. On examining the latter, the stalks were found to be perforated in 

 many places, causing the bark to burst open and expose the dead cambium. 

 Often about one foot only of each stalk showed signs of an attack, and before 

 death had a warty and gnarled appearance ; sometimes also only the terminal 

 shoot had been sapped by the insect, causing it to wither. In this locality 

 only young plants were present, and they appeared to have been abandoned, 

 as the usual forest undergrowth was seen springing up thickly around them. 

 No further indication of the pest was seen until Fencheneko was reached, but 

 at this place several large trees exhibiting damaged bark and dead branches 

 were seen, and examination showed that the bug was present in some numbers. 

 Beyond 'Mpraesu the destruction appeared to be more severe, and in many 



* Dr. Graham remarks : ^' Very large numbers of these insects were found on the diseased 

 trees, and not on tlie healthy ones. They appear to damage the trees by perforating the bark 

 and so producing gumming." 



