108 



been introduced just as the true cochineal (C 

 cacti) evidently has been. The insect from Bahia 

 is prol)ably a distinct species which has not yet 

 received attention. 



The true cochineal insect (Coccus cacti, L.) 

 was introduced long ago into Peru (Hunter, 

 Pratt, and Mitchell, 1912, p. 42). Hempel (1900, 

 p. 380) has recorded its presence in Rio Grande 

 do Sul in Southern Brazil. 



Insects Producing Minor Injuries. — A few 

 segments of 0. cuipa from Angico (Bahia) 

 were found to be attacked by a larva living 

 in tunnels just below the epidermis. The in- 

 jured portion was apparent as a series of inter- 

 crossing white tracks, the tissues above which 

 later became cuticularised or suberised and then 

 appeared as broMmish areas. The injury is similar 

 to that produced in Texas by Marmara opuntiella. 



At Angico (Bahia), the foxtail chiquechique 

 {Cereus sp.) was found to be attacked by a 

 boring larva (lepidopterous or coleopterous?) 

 whose tunnels were seen to pass down into the 

 stems alongside the vascular bundle, and passing 

 from joint to joint. At the point of entry (exit?) 

 a small dark decayed area was found in each ease. 

 Sometimes the injury was less extensive and no 

 tunnel was produced, merely a small hollowed- 

 out area being the result. The insect, specimens 

 of which were not found, frequently attacks the 

 stem near the junction of joints and may kill 

 the part, though the distal portions of the branch 

 continue to grow — probably only until the store 

 of food becomes used up. No excreta were found 

 at the aperture leading into the cavity, but other- 

 wise the injury reminded one of that caused by 

 the larvae (Moneilema and Melitara, spp.) found 

 in Cylindropimtias in Arizona, United States of 

 America. 



In joints of the " spiny palmadora" at 

 Angico, there was found on very few occasions, a 

 clean aperture leading into a large cavity where 

 some insect larva had evidently been at worlc, 

 the debris being tightly packed along one side of 

 the cavity in such a way as described for certain 

 species of the cactus moth Melitara in Prickly 

 Pears (0. lindheimeri, &c.), in Texas. The at- 

 tacked joints were not destroyed, the formation 

 of a tumour being the main result. 



xinother larva was sometimes found which 

 burrowed into the joint of this Opuntia forming 

 a fairly large cavity, but which did not kill it. 

 Green excreta were deposited outside the aperture 

 (Angico) . 



A small larva was found on one occasion 

 destroying a flower-bud of this same species 

 (Angico). 



A beetle, Cactophagus striatoforatus, Gyllen- 

 hal, is recorded by Champion (p. 84) as attacking 

 Cereus in Colombia. 



Various species of grasshoppers were seen 

 making small lesions by feeding while resting on 

 Cereus spp., and 0. sulfurea at Mendoza, and on 

 0. cuipa and the " spiny palmadora" at Angico 

 and Bomfin (Bahia). 



A plant-bug resembling a large Narnia was 

 found to attack both 0. cuipa and the spiny 

 Opuntia at Angico and Bomfin, as well as the 

 tall Cereus (Mandagaru de boi). Like the plant 



bugs Nanaia and Chclinidea in the United States, 

 it is gregarious. It produces effects on segments 

 similar to those caused by Chelinidea. 



Another plant bug, resembling t"he common 

 green hemipteron met with on cultivated crops, 

 was seen on a few occasions on the spiny Opuntia 

 at Angico (Bahia) — perhaps an accidental 

 association. 



Mussel scale, Mytilaspis sp., was found on a 

 cultivated specimen of 0. chakensis in Dr. 

 Spegazzini's garden at La Plata. 



The common Opuntia scale insect, Diaspis sp., 

 was seen on Cereus sp., at La Plata, and on 0. 

 monaeantha, 0. decumana, and 0. argentina in 

 Buenos Aires. Its effects were unimportant. 

 Fernald (1903) quotes Brazil as a locality for 

 D. echinocacti, var. cacti, Comstoek. Demerara 

 (British Guiana) appears to possess two forms, 

 viz., D. echinocacti, var. opuntice, Ckll. (Hunter, 

 Pratt, and Mitchell, 1912, p. 42) and D. opunti- 

 cola, Newstead. 



In 1882 Ernst (p. 77) described an abnormal 

 fruit of 0. ficus-indica from Caracas, Venezuela, 

 which Hunter, Pratt, and Mitchell (p. 35) believe 

 to have been the result of attack by a cecidomyiid 

 fly, probably Asphondylia opuntim. Felt, an 

 insect referred to in the report on the investiga- 

 tions in the United States.f 



UTILISATION. 



As Food for Man. — The fruit of 0. ficus- 

 indica is used to some extent as a food 

 for man in the States of Eio Janeiro and 

 Sao Paulo in Brazil, as well as in various 

 parts of Chili, plantations being seen at 

 Llaillai, Santiago, Los Andes, and Valparaiso. 

 It is grown also at Mendoza in Argentina. 

 Spegazzini (1905, p. 512) quotes a list of Argen- 

 tine localities where this species is cultivated for 

 its fruit. In the State of Bahia, the fruits of 

 certain species of Cereus such as the mandagaru 

 de boi, the chiquechique verdadeiro and the caixa 

 cube, as well as the small fruits of 0. cuipa, are 

 used for human consumption. Schumann (1899) 

 mentions that amongst others, the fruit of Cereus 

 foriesii (p. 112) and Echinopsis schicJcendantzii, 

 Web. (p. 237) are used as food in Argentina and 

 those of Opuntia geissei in Chili (p. 152). The 

 fruit of Cereus deficiens, Otto, is similarly used 

 in Caraccas, Venezuela. 



During times of drought, the pith of the 

 chiquechique verdadeiro, the caixa cube, and the 

 Melocactus are used as food in the State of Bahia. 

 The spines and the cortex are cut away and the 

 remainder roasted. Schumann (1899, p. 760) 

 states that Peireskia is used as a vegetable. Melo- 

 cactus is used medicinally in Bahia. 



As a Dye. — Phillippi (p. 493) mentions that 

 the fruit juice of 0. airampo is used in Arequipa 

 (Peru) for colouring food. Dr. Soehrens, when in- 

 terviewed, stated that the fruit of this species and 

 of others which produce fruit with a red juice, 

 was sold in North-western Argentina, and ad- 

 jacent parts of Bolivia and Peru for colouring 

 food, water (as a drink) and wine, the name 



t According to Dr. A. Loefgren, of the Botanical 

 Gardens, Rio de Janeiro, rats occasionally prove trouble- 

 some to hedges of O. monaeantha in Sao Paulo by gnawing 

 the stems. 



