4 



points to a form of protection from some other insect or bird. Another 

 point in favour of the above suggestion is, as mentioned before, that 

 the caterpillar had been known on the mainland for several years past, 

 but previous to the winter of 1892-93 it had not been known to do any 

 damage. 



14. If the enemy of the caterpillar was destroyed in the way sug- 

 gested above, it is quite easy to account for the great increase in the 

 numbers of the pest last year and the still greater increase this year. 

 The chrysalids formed at the end of the summer of 1892, would become 

 moths, and the female moths would probably deposit their eggs in the 

 spring of 1893. One moth is capable of laying an enormous number of 

 eggs, but a good percentage of these do not hatch. The caterpillars 

 hatched in the spring of last year would, in their turn, become chrysa- 

 lids about the beginning of June, and these chrysalids would become 

 moths about the latter end of the same month. The moths would then 

 deposit their eggs in July, and the caterpillars seen last year at Quarry 

 Bay and Kowloon would, in all probability, be the second hatching. As 

 previously mentioned many of these were collected, and those which re- 

 mained formed chrysalids and afterwards moths, and these moths would 

 be the ones which deposited their eggs on the trees this spring. 



15. The history of the life of the insect since the end of the summer 

 of 1892 is based chiefly on observations made this year which are as 

 follows : — The first eggs were laid at the end of April, and the caterpil- 

 lars which escaped the collectors became chrysalids at the end of May 

 or beginning of June, the moths appeared in the middle of June, and 

 now they are depositing the second lot of eggs. It is very gratifying, 

 however, to be able to state that very few eggs or caterpillars have been 

 seen of this second lot, although the plantations have been well examined. 



16. Another probable reason for the very large number of the insects 

 which appeared this spring, is the drought which prevailed at the time 

 they were hatched. At this s age of their existence they are extremely 

 small, being only a few lines in length and about the fiftieth part of 

 an inch in breadth, so that it may readily be imagined what the effect 

 of a tropical shower would be upon them at this early period of their 

 life. On several occasions, when I was examining the plantations, it 

 was raining very heavily, and underneath the trees full grown catapillars 

 were lying on the ground, in hundreds and thousands, in a half dead 

 condition. A prolonged heavy rain would undoubtedly have killed 

 them. 



17 Remarks — The eggs of the moth are deposited on the upper part 

 of the leaves, and thus the caterpillars have food to go upon as soon as 

 they come out of the shell. The eggs are pink in colour and oval in 

 shape, about the sixteenth of an inch in length and the twenty-fifth 

 part of an inch in breadth. The size of the moths varies, the largest of 

 the females being 2\ inches across the wings, and 1 J inches long, whilst 

 the males are 2 inches across the wings, and an inch long. Both sexes 

 are fawn-coloured, but the male sometimes has a few white and black 

 markings on its wings. The chrysalids are enveloped in a stiff papery 

 cocoon, which is fastened very firmly to the leaves or other parts of the 

 trees. It will thus be noticed that from the time the eggs are laid 

 until the moths are produced, the insects remain on the trees. 



18. In conclusion, it is satisfactory to know that the methods employ- 



