AND PROBLEMS OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA. 201 



The only facts recorded concerning the species were that the larvae had been 

 found at Olokemeji, Western Province, on acclimatised American Upland cotton. 

 These larvae were hairy, with red, black, yellow and white markings, and curious 

 tufts. 



Euproctis lyonia, Swinh. 



The species was observed only at Ibadan. No eggs were found in the field, 

 but a small swarm of 20 sluggish newly-hatched caterpillars was found on a leaf, 

 the company probably representing the number of eggs in a single cluster. 

 Curiously enough, in spite of search on the plant upon which the swarm occurred, 

 no egg-membranes could be found. The larvae were typically Lymantriid, the 

 dorsal tufts on the anterior segment of the abdomen being specially noticeable. 

 The prevailing colour was ferruginous, though white and black were also present. 

 The number of moults before pupation is at least three, and the larval life, 

 judging from a single instance, must be a little more than 14 days. The cocoon 

 of loose hairs and silk is about half an inch in length and light grey in colour, the 

 pupal period being 13 to 14 days. 



The larvae would appear to be extensively parasitised, for out of 14 young 

 caterpillars reared in the laboratory only one moth was obtained, while 8 Braconid 

 parasites, belonging to two species, emerged. As the caterpillars were collected 

 shortly after hatching and carefully protected and reared in the laboratory, the 

 interesting questions arise — When were the larvae parasitised, and is there any 

 inter-relation between the parasites ? 



The caterpillars of the following moths occurred only casually upon cotton : — - 

 Diacrisia maculosa, Cram., Diacrisia sp., Prodenia litura, F., Cosmoplula erosa, 

 Hb., and Aids acaciaria. Boisd. 



., U11U ^'W L<,VW/H,M# t,W-, 



Scale-Insects. 



On two occasions at Ibadan, during the seasons 1911 and 1912, plants were 

 observed covered with white, waxy, somewhat limpet-shaped scales which reached 

 a length of half an inch. The specimens have been kindly identified by Prof. R. 

 Newstead, F.R.S., who pronounces them to be Pulvinaria jacksoni, Newst. 

 Specimens of a Riper sia, which cannot be identified, were also found on cotton. 



Parasitic Hymenoptera. 



Three species of the family Chalcididae and probably two of Braconidae 

 have been found harmful, for the reason that they are parasitic on beneficial 

 insects. All but one, a Braconid, are parasitic on ladybird beetle larvae. The 

 remaining Braconid is parasitic on the larvae of a hover fiy (Syrpiiidae). 



It has not yet been possible to obtain identifications of these insects. 



Note on the Condition of the Native Cotton Plants at the Agricultural 



Station, Ibadan. 



The native Ishan and Meko cottons were found to be affected in a curious 

 way. The leaves become at first mottled with light-coloured green, often 

 yellow, spots, the undersides being densely and minutely pock-marked. Ulti- 

 mately the leaves shrivel and curl. The young leaves at the shoot seem to be 



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