108 
JHE TROPICAL AGRICULTURLST. 
[Auo. 1, 1903. 
" SPOLIA ZEYLANICA " : 
CEOWS AND CATERPILLARS. 
The June number of the Syolia Zeylanica, 
edited by Dr. Arthur Willey and issued by 
tlie Colombo Museum, is an interesting Irochure 
and has among other items, a noteworthy 
article by the editor which is of general 
interest, on the " Acclimatisation of Ceylon 
Crows in the Malay Peninsula." The planta- 
tions in the Federated Malay States have had 
a bad time with insects of kinds, and the 
introduction of the Ceylon crow is with the 
view to help the planter to exterminate 
them. Ceylon has long been regarded as the 
Paradise of the ' pouchie,' and certainly its 
insect life is a teeming one ; but tlie Malay 
Peninsula would seem not only to run our 
island hard for precedence, but also to eclipse 
our highest records for numbers, and des- 
tructive voracity. The Ceylon planter has 
had his own trouble with pests of kinds- 
animal and vegetable— but he dreads the 
latter more than the former, for while the 
destructive insect may worry his peace and 
reduce his profits, a fungoid growth may 
evolve a tragedy, and totally ruin a vast 
enterprise. The Selangor planter— often 
hailing from Ceylou— has had mur-h to vex 
him in his plucky efforts to bring into 
profitable cultivation the virgin lands of the 
peninsula of Malaysia, and those who have 
read the official reports of promising planta- 
tions in that part of the world, are well- 
acquainted with the note which so persis- 
tently records the evil doings of the coconut 
beetle, the white ant, and the caterpillar- 
It is to fight the beetle and the caterpiliar 
that the Ceylon crow has been indented 
for by Mahiysia. The idea originated with 
Mr. B. V. Carey, Chairman of the United 
Planters' Association of the Federated 
Malay Si:ates, and was the result of previous 
Ceylon experience. He says in the first 
letter to the local Resident-General when 
suggesting an application to the Ceylon 
Government for help in procuring a ship- 
ment of crows :— " about the year 1883 the 
Ceylon cinchona plantations were devastated 
by a catei'pillar of the same family as that 
which has so severely attacked cur coffee 
over here, ond it is well within the writer's 
memory that tens of thousands of ciows 
came to the rescue and practically anni- 
hilated the caterpillars." Q'he report cf the 
Director of the Colombo Museum to the 
Hon. the Colonial Secretary who had sub- 
mitted Mr. Carey's letter for comment, has 
this remark on the cinchona caterpillar :— 
" I have not been able to find any record 
of the visitation of caterpillars in the Ceylon 
cinchona plantations about the year 18S5,' 
All the same Mr. Carey's recollection has 
not played him false ; for the cinchona- 
caterpillar was much in evidence when 
planters were giving their best attention 
to the fever drug ; but their numbers and 
destructiveness have, perhaps, got magni- 
fied somewhat— the effect, doubtless, of 
the distorting mists of time. It was 
a caterpillar of fine proportions : a 
Jabberwock in outline, and with an appetite 
which knew no satiety. It was easily found, 
and at first small gangs of coolies were 
employed to exterminate it : but the crow 
was the effectual cure, and in its keen pur- 
suit of this new titbit it appeared in regions 
it had never previously visited. When the 
crow came about, the " poochi " gang's 
occupation was gone ; for it was unwearying 
in its quest, and hunted around with an argus- 
eyed persistency. It was therefore a very 
sane suggestion, as a remedy for insect 
pests, to introduce into the Malay Peninsula 
the crow of Ceylon. Successful steps were 
taken here to secure a number of crows for 
exportation, and after some little time had 
been given to discover the best food and 
ti^atment which would keep the birds 
healthy in captivity, so as to allow of their 
i-eaching their ultimate destination in a 
sound condition, the first shipment was des« 
patched. Over fifty reached Penang in 
prime health ; but the reception accorded the 
new arrivals by the Straits Press was not 
flattering. Tlie Ceylon crows have a bad 
name for thieving habits, and even an 
official introduction to their new home, did 
next to nothing in affording them a welcome, 
or a chance to redeem their character. 
They wei-e like the dog with the bad 
name, unregenerate. and unreformable. 
But whatever the Straits Press hnd to 
say regarding these birds of evil omen, the 
Selangor planters hailed their coming, and 
anticipated that the crow on the caterpillar, 
and beetle would be as remedial for them 
as the fruit-growers of California had found 
the lady-bird on the scale insect. The crows 
were released in batches, and soon they 
were settling down, giving evidence of 
pairing, and had evinced in a mild way 
their old weakness for caterpillars. That 
a second consignment of crows has just 
gone forward to reinforce the original 
batch, would point to the Ceylon crow's 
acclimatisation in the Malay Peninsula as 
realisable. It will take a considerable time, 
however, ere the new arrivals increase to 
such numbers as to make themselves felt as 
insect destroyers. 
The other articles in Spolia Zeylanica have 
less general interest, albeit they are good 
reading. We are struck by the atmosphere 
which pervades the little periodical— so 
whole-heartedly Ceylon— and side-lights from 
many distant points are thrown on local 
themes, fortheir elucidation and advancement: 
for example. — " The mortality of fishes in tb? 
Colombo Lake " and " Zoological Gardans." 
The Magazine exists " to preserve exact and 
authoritative records of vital phenomena 
for future guidance and reference," which 
makes its issue from the Museum highly 
appropriate, and usefully supplementary ; for 
while the Museum preserves within its walls 
specimens of the tangible and abiding, the 
Spolia chronicles in itspages and deals through 
its columns with what is evanescent and 
vanishing. 
