The finding of the insect here in some qiiantity 

 was unexpected, as the information available 

 pointed to its rarity in Ceylon. 



The Commission then prosecuted its inquiric s 

 in the Hamhantota district further northwards 

 along the south-east coast of Ceylon, the repox't 

 made by Thomas Steele, when stationed there in 

 1872, suggesting that important results might 

 follow an investigation in that locality. 



Along the road thither from Matara as far 

 as Tangalla, plants of a single Prickly-pear species 

 {Opuntia monacantha) were seen growing here 

 and there on the banks on either side. 

 Apparently owing to the presence of shade 

 conditions, these were generally small and 

 spindly. They were not found to be infested 

 by the Wild Cochineal Insect, one small clump 

 near G-andara being the sole exception. This 

 observation would tend to indicate that, under 

 the circumstances stated, the insect has very 

 limited powers of spreading from an infested 

 centre when the plants grow widely separated 

 from one another. 



Beyond Tangalla, an abrupt change in 

 prevalent climatic conditions obtains. Here 

 Prickly-pear plants were almost absent from the 

 roadside except at a place distant 2 or 3 miles 

 from Hamhantota, where two plants of Opuntia 

 monacantha were growing vigorously. At 

 Hamhantota itself a few isolated clumps of this 

 Opuntia were found in the vicinity of the 

 Government buildings. These were in a 

 vigorous condition, and were not affected by 

 injurious insects or disease. A survey of the 

 district within a radius of 2 to 3 miles of the 

 tovm did not bring to light any additional 

 plants, but some may have been growing in the 

 low dense jungle without their presence being 

 remarked. 



On interviewing the Assistant Government 

 Agent, Mr. T. A, Carey, stationed at Hamhantota, 

 he courteously accorded the Commission an op- 

 portunity for consulting the official records, in 

 which it was stated that as recently as 1902 the 

 cochineal insect appeared to have been especially 

 prevalent in this district during that year. 

 Although coccid-infested pear was sent by 

 request to the Northern Province in 1902-4 for 

 employment in subduing an Opuntia there, it 

 appears to have been derived exclusively from 

 Kahawatti, a place inland from Tangalla. 



Mr. Carey also introduced to the Commission 

 several of his subordinate officers who gave im- 

 portant testimony as to the former abundance of 

 Prickly-pear in the district, and the means by 

 which its diminution had been brought about. 



Amongst these was Mr. H. E. Ameresekere, 

 the Mudaliyar or official representative of native 

 affairs, whose province of work embraced an area 

 of 640 square miles. He not only mentioned 

 the circumstances regarding the decadence of 

 the plant referred to, but attributed it to the 

 cochineal insect that he designated " Latti " — 

 a word, which he stated, suggested its natural 

 affinity with the producer of the Lac _ of 

 commerce. He also mentioned the interestiag 

 fact that about a year ago he had procured some 

 of these cochineal insects on Prickly-pear grow- 

 ing near Hamhantota and conveyed them to 

 Tissamaharama, some 20 miles distant, where he 

 placed them on a quantity of the plant which 



died, through their increase and attacks, within 

 six months or so. 



ilessrs. R. de Zilva, J. E. Amarasinhe, and 

 Al. li. Jayman, of the Hamhantota Kachcheri, 

 referred to the presence of the cactus (Opuntia 

 inonacantha) as a pest in the district ten years 

 ago. Thoy stated that it theu occurred along 

 the sea-coast as well as in the jungle, but that it 

 was since destroyed by a Avhite insect similar to 

 that shown them by the Commission. One of 

 these officers referred to the Mudaliyar 's experi- 

 ment already mentioned. The parasite was said 

 to be still active at Mrijjawala some miles away. 



Transmission of the Wild Cochineal 

 Insects. — A considerable amount of coccus 

 infested pear (0. monacantha) was collected at 

 Matara and taken to Peradeniya where it was 

 carefully examined for the presence of any 

 parasites associated with the cochineal insects, 

 but none were found. 



On returning to Colombo, the infested pear, 

 together with fresh, healthy specimens of the same 

 species, was taken to the Museum, the Director, 

 Dr. J. Pearson, kindly affording every assistance 

 in packing. 



The excessively moist conditions prevailing 

 during the period occupied by these investigations 

 in Ceylon has rendered satisfactory packing a 

 matter of difficulty. Hence, several methods 

 were adopted in order to increase the probability 

 of the material arriving in Queensland in good 

 condition, since it was a matter for experiment 

 as to which was the most suitable. As the 

 receipt of living insects did not necessarily 

 mean their establishment in Queensland, a " Me- 

 morandum of measures to be adopted with the 

 cochineal-infested pear on its arrival "*-was 

 forwarded at the same time as these consign- 

 ments. 



Some of the insects (Coccus indicus) 

 reached Queensland in a living condition and 

 have been propagated at Dulacca, particulars 

 regarding this matter having been mentioned 

 by Dr. Jean Whitef in her Report for 1912 

 (p. 72-3). 



The Commission contemplated that it might 

 be necessary to provide for several successive 

 shipments of the Wild Cochineal Insect to 

 Queensland in order that their establishment 

 might be brought about in more than one centre 

 and as promptly as possible. Since the available 

 supply of insect-infested Prickly-pear appeared 

 to be small, and occurred at a spot 100 miles 

 distant from Colombo, it was accordingly deemed 

 necessary for the development of this proposal 

 that some small area of land should be secured, 

 where the host plant could be raised and the 

 Wild Cochineal bred in quantity on it. 



On consultation with the Colonial Secre- 

 tary's Office it was suggested that the assistance 

 of the Director of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture should be sought. Mr. R. N. Lyne, the 

 officer referred to, met the Commission's pro- 

 posal in a singularly friendly and sympathetic 



* See Appendix. 



t The small consignment of Coccus confustis ca/penais 

 from Ceylon did not lead to their establishment in otir 

 State, as the insects died, but, as mentioned in a later 

 section of our report, further samples were sent from 

 South Africa, Dr. White's Report for 1913 giving an 

 account of their establishment and propagation at the 

 Prickly-pear Experiment Station, Dulacca. 



