Plant Sanitation. 



The smcall biting fly (Phlebotomus sp.) -locally known as 'Sand Ply '—is 

 sometimes very troublesome in bungalows, especially in bathrooms and lavatories. 

 Though of very minute size, its bite is quite as painful as that of the largest 

 mosquito. To clear these pests from a room, place a chatty of burning charcoal 

 on the floor, throw on a handful of powdered sulphur, and close the doors (and 

 every possible aperture"! for an hour or two. If this treatment is employed in a 

 dwelling room, all brass and metal ornaments (which would be tarnished by the 

 sulphur fumes) should be removed. 



Though not strictly appertaining to Entomology, I think that it is within 

 my province to draw attention to Avhat I consider an alarming increase in the 

 numbers of the common European sparrow in parts of the Island. On a recent 

 journey by coach from Bandarawella to Badnlla I noticed quite large flocks of 

 these birds. They seem to have increased very rapidly during the last few years. 

 If nothing is done now to check their further increase, there will be serious trouble 

 later, when they begin to devastate the rice fields. I am of opinion that organised 

 efforts should be made at once to keep them in check or even to exterminate them. 

 The sparrow has proved an unmitigated curse in every country to which it has 

 been introduced. Their nests should be ruthlessly destroyed on every opportunity. 

 This should be no difficult task as they almost invariably make their nests in easily 

 accessible places in buildings. The thatch of a native house is a very favourite 

 situation. 



Termes Gestroi : The Hevea Rubber Termite. 



B\ r E. Ernest Greex. 



" On the Life History of Termes gestroi, Wasm. The Hevea Rubber 

 Termite." E. P. Stebbing— (The Indian forester, Vol. XXXII, No. 3.) 



The author quotes reports from various observers in the Malay Archipelago 

 and draws his own deductions therefrom. One of these deductions is of such a 

 startling nature that it should receive careful investigation and indisputable corrob 

 oration before acceptance. On page 111 appears the following paragraph : — 



" It would appear that Termes gestroi attacks the tree for the purpose of 

 obtaining the rubber from it, for, on applying pressure to the bodies of the termites, 

 it was found that the majority of them were full of fresh latex. They apparently 

 collect and store the rubber, masses of rubber being found as a rule in the nests 

 which are usually situated at the crown of the root. Prom one of these nests, 

 situated at the base of a chree-foot girth tree, as much as 2 lbs. of rubber was 

 collected." 



This seems to me a most improbable explanation of the facts, though, of 

 course, there is nothing inherently impossible in it. Being— myself — equally (with 

 the author of the paper in question) unacquainted with this particular termite in 

 a state of nature, it is with diffidence that 1 venture to put forward what appears 

 to me a more probable interpretation of the observed conditions, namely, that the 

 Accumulations of rubber found occasionally in the nests is the result either of 

 a natural flow of latex following upon the wounding of the tree by the termites, 

 or ot the abnormal exudation due to a previously diseased condition of the tree, 

 jt would be interesting to know whether the supposed latex found in the bodies 

 of the living insects was tested and proved to be rubber latex. It seems possible 

 that this statement may result from an error of observation. It is well known that 

 the ' soldiers ' (the class most in evidence when a nest is disturbed) of all termites» 

 upon whatever they may have been feeding, secrete a viscid milky fluid which they 

 eject from their mouths upon the least provocation. This fluid appears to have 



