96 
THE BRITISH WEST INDIES. 
Injurious insects in the British West Indies have only recently- 
received official or semiofficial attention, with the single exception that 
in the year 1801 a special commission com posed of members of the gen- 
eral assembly of the Bahamas was appointed to investigate the damage 
done to the cotton crop by the red bug (Dysdercus, probably suturellns) 
and the chenille (Aletia xylina). Within the past two or three years, 
however, several of the islands have taken up the subject, with or with- 
out governmental support, and there is now a rapidly increasing spirit 
of investigation. 
Jamaica. — In the appointment of Mr. T. D. A. Oockerell, a well-known 
entomologist, to the office of curator of the Institute of Jamaica, at Kings- 
ton, it was specially desired that the appointee should conduct investi- 
gations in economic entomology and answer all correspondence in this 
direction which might come in from planters. Upon taking charge of 
his new office, in June, 1891, Mr. Oockerell was immediately struck by 
the extraordinary abundance of scale insects in Jamaica, and their im- 
portance as enemies to many cultivated plants. With his accustomed 
energy he at once undertook the study of these insects, and has since 
published many papers about them, which have been contributions to 
knowledge. He started an interesting series of stylographic notes, 
mainly about injurious insects, disseminated much information on this 
subject among the planters, and fostered an interest in the study which 
it is to be hoped will not die out. He was succeeded in office in June, 
1893, by Mr. C. H. Tyler Townsend, formerly an assistant in the Divi- 
sion of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and entomologist 
to the State Agricultural Experiment Station of New Mexico, who, dur- 
ing the short time of his residence in Jamaica, followed in the lines laid 
down by Mr. Oockerell, and published a number of very interesting 
notes, both in the journal of the Institute and in the stylographic series 
of notes, which he continued. Mr. Townsend resigned in May of the 
present year, and we have not heard that his successor has been ap- 
pointed. 
Leeward Islands. — Although no officially designated entomologist 
is employed by the Leeward Islands, Mr. C. A. Barber, superintendent 
of agriculture for these islands, is a well-informed man, a trained bota- 
nist, and fully alive to the importance of entomological work. He has 
conducted some important investigations on the sugar-cane shot-borer 
and other sugar-cane insects, which have been published in the Leeward 
Islands Gazette. 
Trinidad. — No official recognition of economic entomology has yet 
been reached in this island, but a very active organization, known as 
the Trinidad Field Naturalists' Club, has been established, which 
is well worth mention in this connection, since its president, Mr. 
H. Caracciolo, and its secretary, Mr. F. W. Urich, have interested 
