25 



the pupal cells. Histerids are, as a rule, predaceous, at least in the 

 larval stage, and these may also do some good by destroying the eggs 

 and young of the weevil when the latter are first hatched. 



Rhina barbirostris Fab. — June 19, 1902, we received from Mr. 

 Seay, through Mr. E. J. F. Campbell, superintendent of agriculture, 

 botanic station, Belize, Honduras, specimens of this large weevil, 

 with the expression of opinion that, first of all, the cocoanut trees 

 were in a more or less unhealthy state when attacked by it and that it 

 did no harm to healthy trees; but some injury must in the first 

 instance happen to some part of the plant, stem, roots, or leaf, to 

 cause a flow and subsequent fermentation of sap to attract the insect. 



The Ambrosia beetles {Xyleborus and Mormrthrum spp.) bore into 

 the cracks of the stem of the injured plants; and the palm weevil 

 (fihy?ichophoruspalmarum) follows. The ambrosia beetles make holes 

 in the trunk and bore straight ahead, the size never increasing, and 

 throw out sawdust, which the weevil does not usualh' do. The latter 

 makes a small hole and inserts an egg which hatches into a grub, and 

 the grub excavates cavities which constantly increase until finally it 

 forms its cocoon. 



AS TO WHETHER INSECTS ATTACK HEALTHY OR ONLY SICKLY TREES. 



The belief is quite prevalent in British Honduras that the palm 

 weevil is the chief cause of the great damage to cocoanut trees in that 

 colony. Mr. Seay is of the opinion that the ambrosia beetles are more 

 responsible as conveyers of disease than the palm weevil. Mr. Camp- 

 bell states that the disease locally known as " fever," presumably due 

 to the fungus Pestalozzia pal?7iarum, or a similar species, is the sole 

 forerunner of the trouble. He supposes it to be conveyed from 

 unhealthy trees growing in unsuitable ground. On this head he 

 expresses himself substantially as follows: 



From my own observation I am of the opinion that cocoanut trees are never 

 attacked by weevils unless the plant is more or less in a sickly condition — a fever of 

 some kind. This fever may originate from different circumstances, such as sudden 

 cold weather, excessive wet, causing water to lie around and affect the roots, the 

 want of good drainage, inferior soil, sudden exposure of the stem to the direct rays 

 of the sun, or other conditions due to planters neglecting to clean their trees for 

 months or years. * * * 



He is convinced that "no fly, bug, or weevil" will attack a perfectly 

 healthy cocoanut tree that receives proper attention by its owner. 



THE PALMETTO WEEVIL. 



(Rhynchophorus crueniatus Fab.) 



September 10, 1901, we received specimens of this species in the 

 grub state from Mr. Lee Mulford, Fort Ogden, Fla., that had been 

 taken from a LO-year-old seedling date. The entire trunk was found 



