204 SiiOKT XOTEtS. 



Stick-Insects destroying' Orchids. 



A considerable number of insects of different kinds attack 

 and damage orchids under cultivation. These are chiefly beetles, 

 but I have now to record two pests of a -different order as most 

 injurious to orchid culture, namely tw-o- species of Fhasmida', 

 commonly known as stick insects. It was noticed that the leaves 

 of IJenclrobiu//is and other orchids were constantly being- gnawed 

 away, especially during the night, and a search disclosed that the 

 damage was being done by two curious stick insects. Specimens 

 were forwarded to Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse, of the British Museum, 

 who identilied one as a species of Fi/loemenes very near F. coronatus 

 AVestw, a native of Ceram, and Datames Oileus West wood , of which 

 there was an unique specimen from Java in the British Museum. 



The Ff/loeiiiene.'< is by no means as abundant as the Datames. 

 It is a cylindrical in&ect, about an inch and a half long, dark grey 

 and ornamented with thorn-like tubercles. 



iJatanics is about two inches long, and of a light brown 

 colour looking like a piece of rotten w^ood. Its head is prolonged 

 backwards inio a kind of knot-like crest, and ornamented with 

 short sharp tubercles. On the first joint of the thorax is also a 

 small triangular trest and there is another towards the end of 

 ihe abdomen on the back. A row of small tubercles runs down 

 each side of the body, which is very flat, so that the animal 

 clinging with its powerful legs close to the plant is very easily 

 overlooked. The legs are also roughened with tubercles. The 

 antennoe are finely jointed and shorter than the legs. 



These animals are very voracious, and rapidly devour the 

 leaves of any of the epiphytic orchids. 



H, N. B. 



Notes on an Infant Maias. 



Mr. Wallace in his Malay Archipelago describes an infant 

 Maias (orang Utau) most graphically ; it cut its first milk teeth 

 shortly after he had it, but it lived only three months. Two 

 years ago I had a Maias of the same age, and when watching it, 

 it was impossible to help being struck with the accuracy of 

 Mr. Wallace's observations. My Maias lived however for fifteen 

 months, during almost the whole period of milk dentition, hence 



