17 
SI 
Coconut Beetle (Melitomma insulare) 
A large collection of insects of this species in all stages of 
growth were supplied last year to the Director of the College 
of Tropical Agriculture, (France) who kindly supplied in ex¬ 
change a photographic negative from which one hundred prints 
have been made and distributed to planters. 
This insect is better kept under control than formerly by 
the destruction of the fallen trees and by removing the larvae 
from trees still standing. This entails a considerable amount 
of labour as the larvae bore into the heart of the tree and the 
inside tissues have to be removed and the large wounds tarred 
over. 
It seems difficult to trap them as they breed inside the 
trees and the females do not seem to go a long distance with 
their enlarged abdomen which prevent them from flying. The 
much smaller males fly a longer distance. It is however neces¬ 
sary that openings should exist in the stem of the trees near 
the roots to allow the powerless females to introduce their 
ovopositor which is nearly as long as their body. In well kept 
plantations the beetle find a less congenial home but I was 
surprised this year to reckon as many as 11 o/o of young trees 
(10 years nearly) badly attacked in many plantations. 
With regard to the destruction of mosquitoes, I have to 
record the introduction from Mauritius of the Million fish 
(Girardinus poeciloides). Five young specimens werehanded over 
to me by Mr Lanier and a few months after hundreds of speci¬ 
mens had been obtained. In a small basin 5 adult goujons (Ha- 
pochilus playfairi) and 10 Million fish were placed, and two 
months after the 5 goujons were still to be found but the 
number of Million had increased to three hundred. This expe¬ 
riment tends to show that the propagation of the latter is much 
easier and it is proposed to enlarge them in the rivers if newly 
conducted experiments show that the eggs of the goujons and 
fresh water crustaceans are not destroyed by them. 
XII. 
Fisheries. 
The export from Outlying Islands for the year under 
review amounted to: 
Pboduce. 
Quantity. 
Deceased value, 
Salt Fish 
pkges 241 
Rs 12,822 
Tortoise shell 
kilogs 1,724 
62,799 
Calipee 
„ 5,786 
16,501 
Trepang 
„ 2,109 
1,106 
Shark fins 
„ 1,133 
652 
Turtle bones 
„ 30,000 
1,350 
Quitouze (salted turtle) „ 538 
442 
Fish oil 
(hectolitres) 4| 
100 
Whale oil 
do. 209^ 
4,542 
Guano 
tons 34,720 
997,400 
Whale fishing on a large scale is under consideration by a 
new Company and it is also proposed to make fish guano out 
of the carcases and other residues. 
Another Company is also being set on foot for fishing 
with modern appliances for the preparation of salt fish for 
export under the management of an experienced Seychellois 
gentleman well acquainted with tbe numerous shoals of the archi¬ 
pelago. This latter Company contemplates curing high grade 
fish for the markets of India, Ceylon and South Africa and 
destroying sharks on a great scale. From the vast number and 
varieties of whales and sharks which inhabit this part of the 
world, one can forsee that their destruction will coincide with 
an increase in the numbers of fish coming inshore to the 
benefit of the local fishermen who supply the market with 
iresh fish. 
