21 



During my stay at and while crossing Vitu Levu, Fiji, insects were 

 anything but numerous outside of the locusts. The fungoids in the 

 damp climate here appear to be the principal agents in destroyiug the 



insects, especially the Coccidae, mosl of which are affected. I also no- 

 ticed a small uemipterous insect infesting pea vines, which was de- 

 Stroyed in large numbers by one of the fungi. As already mentioned, 

 our coccids Chionaspis dtri Comst. and Icerya purehasi Mask, were the 

 only ones met with in large numbers throughout the island of Vitu 

 Levu, as well as at Levuca. 



The most injurious insect upon these islands is unquestionably 

 Sphenophorm obscurm Boisd., introduced on sugar cane some ten years 

 since from the Sandwich Islands, and at the present time infesting 

 nearly all the cane fields. Al Nausori Mills, so Mr. Seeliger informed 

 me, 52 per cent of the entire cane from some fields is infested with 

 the Sphehophorus larvae, and if we consider that in some instances 

 half of the cane is destroyed by this beetle before reaching- maturity, 

 the extent of the injury done can be estimated. They also attack the 

 banana plants, their injury to which has also become a serious matter. 

 No parasites are yet preying upon these larva' and, unless some are 

 introduced to check the ravages of the beetle, cane-growing will be 

 almost an impossibility in the near future. So numerous is the insect 

 already that within one day along- the border of the fields at Nausori, 

 under pieces of split cane laid out for bait, 11 children collected no less 

 than 28,800 of the beetles. I have advised the introduction of our 

 toads, both in the Sandwich and Fiji Islands, which, with the unlimited 

 amount of food, would rapidly increase and eat up these beetles in 

 large numbers, providing the mungos will not interfere with them. A 

 moth closely related to the common sugar-cane borer, Diatrcea sac- 

 eharalis Fabr., is doing some damage also, but little in comparison 

 with the Sphenophorus. 



On June 30, 1892, 1 returned to Sydney with little save a number of 

 the .1 nisorcus found preying upon Chionaspis eitri Comst.at Fiji, and two 

 species of fungoids destructive to Black Scale. The beetles, their larva' 

 and pupae, had been kept on ice during the trip and but very few of 

 the mature insects were dead on arrival at Sydney. These were fed 

 until tin 1 steamer left for California, when they were again placed on 

 ice. but none of these reached San Francisco alive. 



My future movements depended upon the last two sen dings from 

 Australia. In letters received from the State board and Hon. Ellwood 

 Cooper, which awaited me at Sydney, I was informed that these arrived 

 in perfectly healthy condition. 1 was now sure that the species liber- 

 ated here would successfully breed in their new home. 



Another lot of Orcus chalybeus Boisd. and 0. australasia Boisd., which 

 al this time. 'Inly .*$, 1892, were chiefly hibernating, was collected. Of 

 the various Rhizobiids and Scymnids a number were also collected. 

 Thalpochares eocciphaga Meyd. were also hibernating, and some one 



