22 
A NEW TDBACCO PEST. 
this plant parasite, there were two mined — as in the case of the 
Moggill plants — ^by the caterpillar of the potato grub. These 
were bright green with large pale brown, translucent, sharply- 
defined patches, bounded by curved lines. Near one edge of the 
leaf, which was infolded, tiny black particles of “ frass ” vrere 
observable. Feeding in the tissue intervening between the two 
surfaces of the leaves^ themselves were the tiny caterpillars — one 
in each leaf. 
"Whether the caterpillar of Lita solanella will thrive also on 
other solanaceous plants than the potato and the tobacco — to 
which it has been shown to be so partial — has not yet been 
ascertained. If, however, the common “blackberry” of our 
colonial youth — the nightshade, Solanum nigrum — will support 
it, so generally distributed is this weed of cultivation that the 
chances of persistence of the pest in any district are by no means 
small. When once it is in a cultivation it is doubtful whether 
it will be found practicable to effectively employ any deterrents 
to ward off its attacks. Feeding as it does beneath the surface 
of the tobacco leaf, and thus protected, the application of any of 
the usual insecticides when once it has manifested its presence 
will prove futile. Generations of the insects also quickly succeed 
one another. It behoves every one, therefore, who would stay 
its attacks to destroy at once all plants affected, that its propa- 
gation may be checked. If not too late in the day it is also 
recommended that no potato be introduced from outside to a 
tobacco-growing district. Certainly not potatoes which in their 
tissues harbour the pest. 
RANATRA AND ITS HABITS. 
BY 
R. H. Relton. 
"Science Gossip," 1879, for a papei 
on subject whereof that under above title was a transcript). 
