HO 



appended referring to its habits on Tapioca plantations. 

 For the note relating to the crickets on rubber seedlings I 

 am indebted to the Manager of an Estate in Sumatra. 

 4 'The insect bores very rapidly a long tunnel in the ground 

 "and at varying depths from six inches to more than a 

 "foot in some cases. 



"It appears that it feeds in the evening and early 

 "morning, since damage done to young plants has always 

 "been after 5 o'clock in the afternoon and prior to 6 o'clock 

 "in the morning. For the purpose of feeding the animal 

 "comes to the surface where in the case of Para rubber it 

 "has in some cases completely bitten the stem from the 

 "root and in other cases partially eaten through the stem 

 ' ' causing it to fall down. 



"The pest is one known greatly as troubling the 

 "Tobacco planter and he has noticed that the plant bitten 

 "off is dragged away underground, but this has not yet 

 "been discovered in the rubber plantations." 



With regard to the last sentence it is highly probable 

 that if the burrows were carefully followed up some leaves 

 and sticks would be found within. The burrows are fre- 

 quently very long and of considerable size often having 

 several distinct passages. On the whole its attack on young 

 Tapioca is the same as on Para seedlings, but it is to a cer- 

 tain extent encouraged on those plantations carrying the 

 first crop. 



The insect prefers sandy soil, and is very seldom 

 found when the character of the land is hard. When a 

 loose sandy soil is thrown up for banking, as is done on 

 tapioca plantations a perfect home for the cricket is form- 

 ed, and of which it quickly takes advantage. Shortly after 

 the young tapioca shoots, one may see in the early morning, 

 a very large percentage of plants "eaten down" as the 

 planter terms it. This damage is done by the cricket during 

 the night. They commence to leave their holes at dusk and 

 rapidly nibble the soft stem of young tapioca, frequently 

 severing them close to the ground, at other times robbing 

 the young plant of its leaves. Both the stems, and leaves 

 are then drawn into the burrows. When walking round in 

 the morning spaces in the young field will be noticed, and 

 these Spaces continue to increase until very little green foli- 

 age is left. Supplies have to be planted, but when a field is 

 infected the supplies suffer in the same way as the previous 

 crop. 



Owing to the banking the holes are extremely easy to 

 detect. Usually there are about % inch in diameter at the 

 exit, but if followed up it will be found that beneath the 



