iiliiili INSECTS
 
 :%ie & Son Limited 
 Trivate Library 
 
 Case 
 
 u.. 
 
 Shelf ..
 
 UCSB LIBKAKY 
 
 / 
 
 NOTES AND DESCEIPTIONS 
 
 INJUEIOUS FAEM AND FEUIT INSECTS 
 OF SOUTH AFEICA.
 
 NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS 
 
 INJUKIOUS FARM & FRUIT INSECTS 
 
 OF 
 
 SOUTH AFEICA. 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 ELEANOR A. OEMEEOD, F. E. MET. Soo., &c., 
 
 Consulting Entomologist of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and Hon. 
 
 Member of the Farmers' Club; Hon. <t Corr. Mem. of Hoy. Ag. and Hort. Soc., 
 
 S. Australia; Hon. Mem. of Ent. Soc. of Ontario, and Corr. Mem. of 
 
 Field Nat. Club of Ottawa, Canada ; Member of Eastern 
 
 Province Naturalists' Soc., Cape Colony, &c. 
 
 DESCRIPTIONS AND IDENTIFICATIONS 
 OF THE INSECTS 
 
 OLIVEE E. JANSON, F.E.S. 
 
 LONDON, ENGLAND: 
 SIMPKIN, MARSHALL & CO., STATIONERS' HALL COURT* 
 
 1889.
 
 " I strongly feel that no time can be ill spent which is devoted to the 
 investigation of any subject that bears upon the culture of the land, 
 and is likely to aid in multiplying the produce and benefiting the 
 producer." JOHN CUBTIS, in Introduction to 'Farm Insects.'
 
 PKEFACE. 
 
 To those readers who may care to look over the 
 pages of this little book I should like to offer a few 
 observations as to the reasons for its compilation, and 
 also by way of explanation of why in some cases a 
 fairly full history of the insects referred to is given, 
 together with means of prevention, and a figure 
 accompanying, and in others only a figure and 
 description, or perhaps only the name. 
 
 About four years ago Mr. S. D. Bairstow, President 
 of the East Province Natural History Society of Cape 
 Colony, who had whilst in England been one of the 
 contributors to my Annual Eeports of ' Observations 
 of Injurious Insects,' wrote to enquire whether, if I 
 was furnished with similar notes regarding pests of 
 the crops in East Province, Cape Colony, I would 
 publish them similarly. 
 
 At that time there was not the opportunity which 
 there now is of procuring sound and clear directions 
 for treatment of insect as well as other attacks of 
 crop and stock, by reference to the Editor of the 
 ' Agricultural Journal ' published by the Department of 
 Agriculture of Cape Colony ;* therefore I willingly 
 
 * The 'AgriculturalJournal,' published by the Department of Agri- 
 culture of the Cape Colony, is issued fortnightly, and is sent gratis to 
 every farmer who is a member of an Agricultural Society or Farmers' 
 Association. Those not entitled to receive the paper gratuitously may
 
 VI PBEFACE. 
 
 agreed to do my best in case trustworthy agricultural 
 observations could be procured, and specimens of the 
 insects referred to also sent for identification. 
 
 Specimens of about fifty kinds of insects were sent 
 over, of which a few proved to be of hitherto un- 
 described species ; and some notes of observation also 
 were sent, but (after a lapse of some time) it proved 
 almost impossible to procure further observation suit- 
 able for the kind of agricultural report which my 
 South African correspondents wished me to endeavour 
 to form. 
 
 It appeared, however, a great pity not to make as 
 much use as possible of the information which had 
 been sent over, and therefore in the following pages 
 I have given, as far as I can, figures and observations 
 of habits, and means of prevention of some of the 
 pests, and descriptions by which they might be 
 identified. Where nothing further could be given, the 
 name alone has been inserted. 
 
 For the identification of the insects sent, and for 
 the descriptions of almost all, I have been indebted 
 as I have noted on the title-page to Mr. Oliver E. 
 Janson. 
 
 To identify these trustworthily, and to ascertain 
 which were previously unknown, required a knowledge 
 of foreign insects, and likewise a knowledge of the 
 bibliography of the subject, which I do not myself 
 possess, and also much consultation in cases of un- 
 
 obtain it on application to Messrs. EICHABDS & SONS, Government 
 Printers, Cape Town ; subscription two shillings and sixpence a year. 
 Contribution is invited, to be addressed to the Secretary for Agriculture 
 (the Editor of the Journal), Cape Town.
 
 PREFACE. VU 
 
 described species. I therefore beg to acknowledge that 
 for this part of the book I am indebted to the co- 
 operation of Mr. Janson, and to join to my thanks to 
 himself my acknowledgment and thanks also to the 
 scientific specialists who kindly gave their assistance 
 in cases of difficulty. To M. Signoret (Paris), by 
 whose recent decease entomological science has suffered 
 such a severe loss, I am indebted for identification of 
 Icerya purchasi and Lecanium hesperidum ; to M. Bigot 
 (Paris), for confirmation of the Hippobosca Struthionis 
 as being a species previously undescribed ; to Dr. J. S. 
 Baly, for identification of Dibolia intermedia, and also 
 for determination of the species now named by him 
 Iphidea capensis as being previously undescribed ; and 
 I have also to offer my thanks to Mr. F. P. Pascoe 
 for kindly assisting identification of Longicorn beetles 
 by lending specimens from his collection for com- 
 parison, and to Mr. W. L. Distant for identification of 
 Ptyelus grossus: and likewise to Prof. Westwood, for 
 examining and identifying for me the Trilocha ficicola, 
 and also the specimen of Ceratitis citriperda figured at 
 page 50, with its halberd-shaped head processes. 
 
 Most of the specimens and observations were 
 forwarded to me through the hands of Mr. S. D. 
 Bairstow, the originator of the work, who took great 
 trouble in procuring information, and who also furnished 
 valuable observations of his own, especially on the 
 life-history of the Icerya purchasi or "Australian Bug," 
 and its parasites, one of which the Coccinella or 
 Ladybird Beetle, the Rodolia icerya (see page 91) has 
 now, consequently on Mr. Bairstow's observations, been 
 transmitted to New Zealand to prey on the Icerya of 
 that island.
 
 Viii PEEFACE. 
 
 A special (though unhappily for her friends a 
 posthumous) note of acknowledgment is owing to the 
 late able and highly-gifted Lady Curator of the Albany 
 Museum at Grahamstown, Miss Glanville, who for 
 years had devoted special attention to the study of the 
 habits of the crop pests of East Province, South Africa, 
 and laid a foundation which it may be hoped will be of 
 solid future benefit, and some of my best specimens 
 were lent from the collection under her charge. Her 
 communications to myself were marked by the same 
 spirit of kindness and thoughtfulness which gained her 
 the high esteem of her circle of South African friends ; 
 and though I have not been able to show her that at 
 least some amount of progress has through her help 
 been made in the work, she had so much at heart, I 
 can at least offer my tribute of very sincere respect to 
 the memory of a sister-worker. 
 
 This little book is offered in the hope that though it 
 is but a fragment, yet still that, by descriptions and 
 figures of even a few of the common farm insect-pests 
 of the eastern parts of Cape Colony, it may possibly be 
 of some agricultural service. 
 
 ELEANOE A. ORMEROD. 
 
 TORBINGTON HOUSE, ST. AiBAN's, ENGLAND, 
 
 May, 1889.
 
 NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS 
 
 OF A FEW 
 
 INJUKIOUS FARM AND FRUIT INSECTS 
 
 OF 
 
 SOUTH AFRICA. 
 
 4 
 
 OEDER COLEOPTEEA. 
 
 FAM. MELOLONTHID^E. 
 
 ERIESTHIS STIGMATICA, Billb. (Fig. 1). 
 
 Trichius stigmaticus, Billb. Schb'nh. Syn. Ins. i. 3, App. 
 
 p. 44. 
 Eriesthis stigmatica, Burm. Handb.d.Entom. iv. 1, p. 51. 
 
 FIG. 1. Eriesthis stigmatica, natural size and magnified. 
 
 Mealie Chafer : injurious to Mealies (Maize or 
 Indian Corn). 
 
 Short-ovate ; head, thorax, under side, and legs black, 
 and densely clothed with fine grey pubescence ; base of 
 the thorax, the scutellum and elytra closely covered with 
 fine ochreous-yellow scales ; propygidium, pygidium, and 
 abdomen entirely covered with white scales, and varie- 
 gated with brownish yellow markings ; each of the elytra 
 with five small black spots arranged in two oblique rows 
 of two and three each respectively, and several ill-defined
 
 2 MEALIE, AND VINE CHAFERS. 
 
 brownish longitudinal lines. The head is narrowed in 
 front, with the margins slightly reflexed. The thorax is 
 very convex, a little broader than long, narrowed in 
 front and strongly rounded at the base ; the entire sur- 
 face is very closely punctured, and there is a slightly 
 impressed longitudinal line in the centre. The scutellum 
 is elongate and triangular. The elytra are together one- 
 fourth broader than long, and strongly rounded at the 
 sides ; on the darker lines and spots there are short erect 
 setae, and similar setae on the propygidium, pygidium, 
 and sides of the abdomen. The legs are thick, especially 
 the posterior ones ; the anterior tibiae have three large 
 acute teeth (including the apical one), and the inter- 
 mediate tibias a row of very small teeth on the external 
 edge. The length of the body is 8 10 millm. 
 
 This species belongs to the sub-family Hoplides, and 
 is allied to the common British Hoplia philanthus. In 
 some specimens, probably owing to abrasion, the mark- 
 ings are less distinct and the colour altogether more 
 obscure. 0. E. J. 
 
 Miss Glanville notes of this beetle that it destroys 
 Mealie crops from near Fort Beaufort, right down to 
 the Fish Eiver mouth. Mr. Bairstow mentions that it 
 appears to be the worst pest in the country for Mealies. 
 
 HYPOPHOLIS SOMMERI, Burm. (Fig. 2). 
 
 H. sommeri, Burm. Handb. d. Entom. iv. 2, p. 283. 
 H. sukicollis, Bohm. Ins. Caff. ii. p. 92. 
 
 FIG. 2. Hypopholis sommeri. 
 Chafer injurious to Vines. 
 Ovate, convex; red-brown, shining; the elytra
 
 HYPOPHOLIS SOMMEBI. O 
 
 luteous yellow, with a more or less clearly- defined red- 
 brown band close to the lateral margin ; the pygidium, 
 under side, and legs with fine short depressed grey hairs. 
 The head is broad, coarsely punctured, and has a fine 
 impressed, slightly curved, transverse line in front ; the 
 clypeus is short and broadly rounded, with the margin 
 a little reflexed, and the punctuation very coarse and 
 confluent. The thorax is more than twice as broad at 
 the base than long, it is rounded and narrowed at the 
 sides in front, with the anterior angles considerably 
 produced, the lateral margins are dilated and slightly 
 reflexed, the entire surface is coarsely punctured, the 
 punctures becoming closer and confluent towards the 
 sides, and there is an impressed longitudinal line in the 
 centre. The scutellum is rounded behind and of a nearly 
 semicircular form, with a few coarse punctures. The 
 elytra are broadest behind the middle, coarsely punc- 
 tured, and have two slight elevated longitudinal lines on 
 the disk. The pygidium is very closely and unevenly 
 punctured. The under side is closely punctured, with 
 the metasternum more sparsely punctured and longi- 
 tudinally impressed in the centre ; the mesosternal 
 process is long and conical ; in the male there is a 
 longitudinal impression in the centre of the abdomen. 
 The legs are moderately long and punctured, the anterior 
 tibiae are produced at the apex, and have a strong sub- 
 apical tooth, and in the female there is an additional 
 smaller tooth above this. The length of the body is 
 1820 millm. 
 
 Judging by the number of specimens usually contained 
 in collections received from S. Africa, this would appear 
 to be a very common species in that country ; it belongs 
 to the sub-family Melolonthides, and is allied to the 
 well-known Melolontha vulgaris, the "Cockchafer" of 
 England. 0. E. J. 
 
 Miss Glanville sends this beetle for identification as a 
 "pest from Vines," but gives no particulars as to habits 
 or mode of attack. 
 
 B2
 
 4 VINE CHAFER. 
 
 Fig. 3 (p. 4) shows the appearance of the grub of 
 the British Cockchafer, which, as a type of the larval 
 form of the family of Melolonths, may be presumably 
 taken as showing the form of the grubs of the Vine 
 Cockchafer of S. Africa, the H. sommeri, mentioned 
 above, and the preceding species. 
 
 FIG. 3. British Cockchafer, grub and chrysalis. 
 
 The habits of various kinds of the so-called Cock- 
 chafers, or Melolonths, are for the beetles to feed on 
 leafage, or vegetable matter above ground, and the grubs 
 to feed under-ground, on roots of plants, grass, &c. 
 
 Where the beetles are sluggish during the day, and 
 rest under the leafage of trees until they fly abroad in 
 the twilight, much may be done to reduce the number 
 by shaking them down. Pigs will eat them greedily, so 
 will poultry ; if there are more than can be got rid of by 
 these means, the services of some boys to trample or 
 beat the beetles by day would probably do all that is 
 needed in the matter of destroying what may be knocked 
 down at little cost. 
 
 With regard to destruction of the grubs, no plan 
 seems (as far as I can find) to be known either in Europe, 
 the E. Indies, or the U.S.A., for getting rid of them, 
 excepting turning them out from under-ground and 
 destroying them. 
 
 To give a single example of this, in Ceylon, where the 
 grubs of various kinds of Chafers (Melolonthid<z) do much 
 harm to Coffee-plant roots, it is noted by Mr. J. Nietner 
 that on one estate, "A gang of Coolies was employed to 
 dig them out of the ground (for they are always near the 
 surface at the end of the feeding rootlets), which they
 
 HETERONYCHUS ABATOE. 5 
 
 did at the rate of about a quarter of a bushel per man 
 
 per day. Still the Coffee recovered Lime, salt, 
 
 carbolic acid, and other remedies were tried, but without 
 effect, I believe."* 
 
 As various kinds of Cockchafers feed at the roots of 
 grasses, this fact might sometimes give a clue to where 
 attack comes from, and when grass-land is being broken 
 up, or arable- or garden-land, known to be infested, is 
 temporarily empty of crop, hand-picking or turning on 
 pigs, whilst the plough or spade are at work, would 
 do good. 
 
 For prevention of injury from the above-mentioned and 
 the preceding beetle-attack, specimens of the grubs are 
 needed for figuring ; likewise information as to ivhat kinds 
 of crops they chiefly feed at the roots of; hoiv long they 
 live ; how deep they lie in the ground ; hoiv deep they 
 go down to turn to the chrysalis condition; and also 
 whether they are found at the roots of wild grasses or in 
 decayed vegetable matter in woods. Also, what time of 
 day or evening the beetles are in the quietest state, and 
 what measures, if any, have been taken for reducing the 
 numbers of the pest. 
 
 FAM. DYNASTID^E, 
 HETERONYCHUS ARATOR, Fab. (Fig. 4.) 
 
 Geotrupes arator, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. p. 33. 
 H. arator, Burm. Handb. d. Ent. v. p. 94 ; Bohm. Ins. 
 Caff. ii. p. 9. 
 
 FIG. 4. Heteronychus arator. 
 
 Very injurious generally, and especially to Wheat. 
 
 * 'The Coffee Tree and its Enemies.' By the late J. Nietner. 
 Colombo. 1880.
 
 6 WHEAT CHAFEK. 
 
 Oblong, very convex, shining black, the under side, 
 antenna and legs piceous. The head is short and broad, 
 closely rugulose, except at the base, where it is smooth ; 
 it has a fine transverse ridge in front, which curves 
 inwardly on each side and joins the inner margin of the 
 eyes ; the margin of the clypeus is slightly reflexed and 
 forms two obtuse points at the apex. The thorax is 
 nearly twice as broad as long, with the sides and basal 
 angles rounded and the anterior angles acute, the surface 
 is without any punctuation, and there is a fine impressed 
 marginal line at the sides and in front. The scutellum 
 is broader than long, triangular, and smooth. The elytra 
 have seven impressed longitudinal rows of punctures, the 
 first, next the suture, is straight, the others are a little 
 oblique ; in some specimens the interstices have a few 
 irregular punctures, and there is often an additional 
 short row near the shoulder ; the apex is coarsely punc- 
 tured, and there is an impressed marginal line at the 
 sides. The pygidium is very convex and smooth. The 
 under surface has sparse brown hairs, and is punctured 
 at the sides ; the metasternum has a longitudinal im- 
 pression in the centre. The legs are thick, with the tarsi 
 slender, the anterior tibiae have two strong teeth on the 
 outer side, and the apex, rather obtuse, the middle and 
 hinder tibiae have two transverse ridges, which, as well 
 as the apex, are spinose. The length of the body is 
 1215 millm. 
 
 In general appearance this species somewhat resembles 
 our common Apkodius fossor, but is rather larger ; it 
 belongs, however, to a quite distinct family, of which no 
 member occurs in Britain. 0. E. J. 
 
 Miss Glanville's notes referring to this beetle state 
 that it is the most wide- spread and destructive of the 
 pests forwarded, and that it is a subterraneous worker, 
 attacking the wheat by eating away the roots. It is said 
 that it never attacks grain sown in ground newly broken 
 up, even though it be within a yard of their old scene of 
 Operations. The ground must have been cultivated two
 
 HETEBONYCHUS ARATOR. 7 
 
 or three years before they attack the crops on it. Even 
 in the same field they sometimes leave large patches 
 unmolested. It also destroys potatoes, eating them out 
 and leaving only the empty skin. The remedy proposed 
 by Dr. Becker and the Eev. N. Abraham consists of traps 
 of manure placed at intervals throughout the fields, in 
 which heaps the beetles will doubtless lay their eggs. 
 When the grubs are hatched the heaps may be carted 
 away to the fowl-yard, where they will be speedily put 
 an end to. 
 
 Farmers complain, however, that these beetles are 
 found on lands that have never been manured, and 
 therefore conclude that the above remedy is useless. 
 One farmer put lime on his field, and reports that it 
 has killed the beetles. 
 
 Mr. Bairstow mentions that numerous reports are to 
 hand of the destructiveness of this beetle, which, either in 
 the larval or perfect stage, creates great havoc amongst 
 crops ; also that he has observed it in thousands on a 
 hot night at Emerald Hill. 
 
 The following observations, contributed by Mr. Fred. 
 E. Schauble, of Stortge, refer to this pest under the local 
 name of " Keever-beetle " : 
 
 " These insects have for the last three or four years 
 been very destructive in our crops. The beetle goes by 
 the name of ' Keever ' amongst the farmers, and I have 
 no doubt is well known They are rarely seen above- 
 ground, and bite off the crops about an inch under- 
 ground. Last year they were very partial and par- 
 ticularly destructive, in some cases destroying as many 
 as fifteen to twenty acres of growing wheat. As a rule, 
 
 they are principally found in red ground Just now 
 
 they are doing a great deal of damage; some of my 
 neighbours say that we are generally troubled by them 
 in dry seasons. They feed on the crops from the time 
 they are grown three or four inches above the ground. 
 
 " My object in writing to you and sending the sample 
 of beetle is to see if you can perhaps advise me how to 
 destroy them whether anything can be applied to the
 
 8 WHEAT CHAFER. 
 
 soil while ploughing. I was advised to sprinkle with 
 salt. This has been tried by a man living in Nanaga, 
 but has not succeeded. They appear in great numbers. 
 Nov. 3, 1885." 
 
 This beetle is found throughout Caffraria ('Insecta 
 Caffraria?,' Part II., p. 9). 
 
 Of this beetle, namely, the Heteronychus arator, Burm., 
 it is noted by Mr. T. Vernon Wollaston that it is found 
 in St. Helena, "and it has much the appearance of 
 being truly indigenous, though found equally in Southern 
 Africa. It occurs at intermediate and rather lofty 
 altitudes, its normal range being from about 2000 to 
 3000 ft. above the sea." .... "It is more particularly 
 along the sides of the roads that it is practically to be 
 met with, ' in the neighbourhood,' as Mr. Melliss well 
 observes, ' of grass-lands and hay-fields,' where it may 
 often be seen lying dead in considerable numbers, or 
 crawling sluggishly about amongst the loose, friable, 
 dusty soil."* . . . 
 
 The above notes point to this " Keever Beetle " being 
 a grass as well as corn-pest, and may give some clue as 
 to where to look for the grubs, as in common course of 
 things beetles die just after having laid their eggs. 
 Judging by the observations respectively of Mr. Bairstow 
 and Miss Glanville, it is the habit of these beetles, when 
 in what may be called active life, to fly about trees on 
 hot nights, and to go down a little below the surface of 
 the ground during the day. 
 
 The appearance of the grub is not mentioned, but it 
 may be presumed not to vary from the others of the 
 family of the Dynastidce, to which it belongs, in any im- 
 portant point, and it might be expected to be a long, thick, 
 whitish, fleshy grub, generally resembling those figured 
 at pp. 4 and 13, but of a much smaller size. The three 
 pairs of stout legs, the definite head furnished with 
 jaws, and the habit of lying on one side when in 
 repose, are some of the points by which the grubs 
 
 * ' Coleoptera Sancta Helenoe,' p. 64.
 
 HETEBONYCHUS AEATOB. 9 
 
 of this Lamellicorn Division may usually be known at 
 a glance. 
 
 During some correspondence with coffee-planters in 
 Ceylon relatively to prevention of Chafer-attack, I was 
 informed that the nature of the soil (as mentioned above 
 with regard to the S. African Corn Chafer) made a great 
 deal of difference in the amount of attack, and the 
 custom of filling little pits with manure to act as traps 
 was also mentioned. 
 
 Looking at the point that the beetles appear to go 
 down or creep in the surface by day, and come up at 
 night, it would seem that some dressing, such as paraffin 
 and sand, or ashes or dry earth, might be worth trying. 
 A mixture of a quart of paraffin to a bushel of the dry 
 material has been found not to do the slightest harm to 
 tender Hop-shoots sprouting through it, and to prevent 
 Aphides coming up. The smell might be expected to be 
 a great preventive of attack. 
 
 Information is needed as to where the grubs live, 
 whether they are found at the roots of the corn or in 
 manure or decayed vegetable-matter, and specimens also 
 are needed. 
 
 Any information as to whether beetle-attack is worst 
 near woods would be useful, and any notes of experi- 
 ments which may have been tried of result of appli- 
 cation of chemical manures, such as lime, gas-lime, 
 nitrate of soda, sulphate of potash, or sulphate of 
 ammonia, in case these are procurable. 
 
 The same kind of information is also much needed 
 regarding the two following " Corn Chafer " attacks, 
 namely, those of the Pentodon nireus and P. contractus, 
 and it may be remarked in passing, that it would be an 
 immense help to all concerned to have information as to 
 what generally intelligible name might be adopted for 
 the crop-pests, such as has been given in the case of the 
 " Keever Beetle."
 
 10 WHEAT CHAFERS. 
 
 PENTODON NIEEUS, Burm. (Fig. 5). 
 
 Pentodon nireus, Burm. Handb. d. Entom. v. p. 103 ; 
 Bohm. Ins. Caff. ii. p. 3. 
 
 FIG. 5. 1, Pentodon nireus ; 2, P. contractus. 
 
 This Species and the next are Wheat-pests. 
 
 Short-ovate, very convex; black, above slightly shining, 
 under side and legs piceous, shining; club of the antennae 
 red-brown. The head is short and broad, with close, 
 confluent, coarse punctures, and a fine elevated trans- 
 verse line in front ; the clypeus has two small raised 
 points at the apex. The thorax is broader than long, 
 with the sides rounded behind and narrowed in front, 
 the anterior angles are produced and acute, the entire 
 surface is evenly and rather closely punctured, and the 
 anterior and lateral margins are slightly reflexed. The 
 scutellum is broader than long, slightly impressed in the 
 centre, and without punctures. The elytra are together, 
 in the middle, nearly as broad as long, rounded at the 
 sides, and very convex ; there is a straight impressed 
 row of punctures next the suture and six to eight slightly 
 oblique rows on the disk, the inner rows are distinct, 
 but the outer ones are more or less effaced, especially 
 towards the apex, in some specimens. The pygidium is 
 short, convex, and punctured.. The under side and legs 
 are punctured and sparsely clothed with long red-brown 
 hairs, the centre of the metasternum and abdomen are
 
 PENTODON CONTBACTUS. 11 
 
 smooth, the former having a broad median impression, 
 the legs are thick, the anterior tibiae have two very stout 
 teeth on the outer edge and one at the apex, the inter- 
 mediate and posterior tibiae have the apical margin and 
 two transverse ridges on the outer side armed with small 
 spines. The length of the body is 1518 millm. 
 0. E. J. 
 
 Found throughout Caffraria (' Insecta Caffrariae.'). 
 
 PENTODON CONTKACTTJS, Bohm. (Fig. 5). 
 Pentodon contractus, Bohm. Ins. Caff. ii. p. 4. 
 
 This species is very similar to the preceding, but is of 
 a rather smaller size and of a duller black above, the 
 head is less closely punctured in the middle and smooth 
 at the base and apex, with the transverse line almost 
 obsolete, and the apical margin of the clypeus more 
 strongly reflexed and without points, the basal margin 
 of the thorax is straighter, the scutellum is smaller, 
 and the elytra are shorter and more rounded, with the 
 rows of punctures more regular, and the interstices 
 slightly convex. The length of the body is 12 14 millm. 
 
 Both the foregoing species of Pentodon have been 
 forwarded as Wheat-pests, which are believed to be 
 similar in their mode of attack to the Heteronychus 
 arator. As the two genera are closely allied, their habits 
 are probably similar. Both the species of Pentodon are 
 to be easily distinguished from H. arator by their larger, 
 more ovate and convex form and duller colour. 0. E. J. 
 
 Occurs in the region of the Eiver Limpopo (' Insecta 
 Caffrariae.'). 
 
 FAM. CETONIID^. 
 RHABDOTIS SEMIPUNCTATA, Fab. (Fig. 6). 
 
 Cetonia semipunctata, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. 2, p. 140. 
 C. chalca, Gory et Perch. Mon. Get. p. 235, t. 44, f. 5. 
 Rhabdotis chalcea, Burm. Handb. d. Entom. iii. p. 528.
 
 12 FKUIT CHAFEBS. 
 
 Ovate and moderately convex ; bright green ; a line on 
 each side of the head and four slightly curved longi- 
 tudinal lines on the thorax, white ; each of the elytra 
 with two lines on the basal half and eight or nine spots 
 on the apical half, white ; pygidium white, with a central 
 longitudinal green line ; beneath white, and with sparse 
 
 FIG. 6. Rhabdotis semipunctata. 1, upper side ; 2, under side. 
 
 Injurious to Figs and Peaches, and earlier in the 
 season to the blossoms of Apples and Plums. 
 
 brownish-grey hairs at the sides, shining green in the 
 centre, the apical segment of the abdomen and a small 
 spot on each side of the other segments also green ; the 
 legs are green and fringed on the inner side with 
 brownish-grey hairs, a broad stripe on the under side of 
 the femora, a small spot on the knees, and a short stripe 
 at the base of the tibiae, white. The head is nearly flat 
 and closely punctured, with the clypeus a little rounded 
 at the sides and slightly emarginate at the apex. The 
 thorax is very sparingly punctured, with the sides 
 rounded and the base trisinuous. The scutellum is 
 large, triangular, and sparsely punctured. The elytra 
 are punctured in rows and rugulose at the apex, the 
 suture is a little raised and slightly produced at the 
 apical angle. The under side is smooth in the centre. 
 The male has a slightly impressed central line on the 
 abdomen, and the anterior tibiae narrow and without 
 teeth on the outer edge ; in the female the abdomen is 
 more convex, punctured at the apex and without a central
 
 RHABDOTIS SEMIPUNCTATA. 13. 
 
 line, and the anterior tibiae have an acute tooth near the 
 the apex. The length of the body is 17 19 millm. 
 
 This very pretty beetle is allied to Cetonia aurata, the 
 common "Kose Chafer " of England; it may be readily 
 recognised by its bright green upper surface, and the 
 clearly-defined white lines and spots. 0. E. J. 
 
 Mr. E. de Witt Meulen, of the Winterhoek, Uitenhage, 
 reports that this species is common in his part of the 
 country, appearing about October on Fig and Peach 
 trees just when the fruits are beginning to ripen, and 
 devouring them before they have time to mature. Th& 
 only fruits saved were those enclosed in small bags tied 
 round them. Mr. Bairstow remarks that it is rather 
 scarce in his district, appears much earlier, and attacks, 
 the Apple and Plum blossoms. 
 
 F IO . 7._Grub of English Eose Chafer. 
 
 The grubs of the Cetoniida feed on roots of plants, 
 and are also found in rotten vegetable-matter, decayed 
 wood, dung, &c. 
 
 The above figure of the grub of the common "Eose 
 Chafer" of England, the Cetonia aurata, gives a general 
 idea of the appearance of the grubs of this family, 
 which of course vary, like the beetles, much in size. 
 
 In Canada a kind known as the " Indian Cetonia " 
 does much mischief by eating into Pears, Peaches, and 
 Grapes ; and a nearly allied kind is known in more 
 southern parts as the "Fig-eater," but it is noted by 
 Professor Saunders, in his excellent work on ' Insects 
 injurious to Fruits ' of N. America, that as yet, no 
 remedy has been found for this trouble excepting 
 catching the insects and destroying them.
 
 14 
 
 BOOT BEETLE. 
 
 If the S. African Cetonias fly in the bright sunshine, 
 their numbers (in garden treatment, at least) might be 
 reduced as they are in England by catching them with 
 nets on poles ; but otherwise the only methods of 
 prevention appear to be those previously mentioned for 
 the corn or plant chafers. 
 
 FAM. ANOBIIDJE. 
 ANOBIUM PANICEUM, Linn. 
 
 Dermestes paniceus, Linn. Fauna Suec. p. 145. 
 Anobium minutum, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. p. 238. 
 
 FIG. 8. Piece of a boot injured by maggot of Anobium paniceum. 
 
 Paste Beetle ; " Boot Beetle." 
 
 Oblong, convex; reddish brown, and closely covered 
 with very fine short grey pubescence. The head is 
 deflexed and concealed beneath the front margin of the 
 thorax ; the antennae have the basal joint rather large, 
 the second smaller, the six following very small, and the 
 apical three very large and rather more than twice as 
 long as broad. The thorax is very convex and finely
 
 ANOBIUM PANICEUM. 15 
 
 punctured, a little wider than the elytra at the base, 
 rounded at the sides, somewhat compressed in front, 
 and slightly impressed on each side at the base. The 
 scutellum is small and nearly square. The elytra are 
 straight at the sides, rounded behind, and have ten 
 impressed rows of fine punctures on each ; there is also 
 a short and slightly oblique row of similar punctures on 
 either side of the scutellum, the interstices between the 
 rows of punctures are flat, and have indistinct transverse 
 scratches. In fresh and perfect specimens the pube- 
 scence is very close, and imparts a dusty appearance to 
 the surface ; there are also some longer hairs between 
 the rows of punctures on the elytra, but in old and worn 
 specimens the surface is frequently more or less denuded 
 of hairs, and has a much more polished appearance. 
 The length of the body is from 3 to 3 millm. 0. E. J. 
 
 This destructive little beetle is closely allied to the 
 common English "Death Watch" (Anobium domesticuiri), 
 which is well known from the injury it occasions by its 
 borings in furniture and the wooden fittings of houses. 
 It is very common in Europe and many other parts of 
 the world, and has been found feeding on various sub- 
 stances, such as ginger, rhubarb, Cayenne pepper, 
 wafers, ship-biscuit, &c., and it is recorded that, in the 
 larva state, it has been known to perforate tinfoil. 
 
 In the course of 1885 and 1886 I received various 
 communications from manufacturers and exporters in 
 England, and also from recipients of the goods at Port 
 Elizabeth, Cape. Colony, S. Africa, regarding injury 
 caused to exported boots by insect-workings. A pair of 
 children's boots, which were sent to me, as a sample of 
 the attack, irom an English manufacturer, were so 
 exceedingly injured by the small galleries run by maggots 
 in the parts where paste had been used (in making the 
 boots) to fasten the linings and leather together, that the 
 leather was partly perforated and was literally in rags 
 at the upper part, and the boots consequently were 
 totally useless. 
 
 Figure 8 (page 14) shows the appearance of the
 
 16 BOOT BEETLE. 
 
 maggot-galleries, which were for the most part where 
 the paste had been applied, but in some places ran 
 further on, and were as clearly traceable as those of 
 many kinds of maggots often are between the bark and 
 wood of attacked trees. 
 
 At first there was some uncertainty as to the kind of 
 beetle that caused the damage, but on the samples of 
 injured boots being sent, I found the beetle was present 
 in the galleries, as well as the dead maggot, and that it 
 was the well-known and destructive Anobium paniceum, 
 the so-called "Paste Beetle" of Europe. 
 
 The method of life of the Anobium paniceum in the 
 attack under consideration was obviously for the maggots 
 to feed in the infested boot between the linen and leather 
 (as described above), and there to turn to chrysalids, 
 from which in due time the beetles came out. We found 
 the insect present in all its stages, larva, pupa, and 
 perfect beetle, in the injured manufactures. 
 
 The maggots were too much dried to allow of precise 
 description of their appearance in life, but this special 
 kind is described by Prof. Westwood as being white and 
 curved, and similar to those of other Anobia. These 
 resemble Chafer maggots in miniature, being soft, 
 cylindrical, fleshy, and slightly pilose, with a scaly head 
 (armed with robust-toothed jaws) ; six legs ; the last 
 segment of the body large.* 
 
 At what stage of the making of the boots, or of their 
 exportation, or of their storage on arrival at the Colony, 
 the attack commenced there was no evidence given. It 
 was stated by one of the firms in correspondence with 
 me, that they did not find the attack in goods which 
 remained in their retail shops in England even for two 
 or three years, and also that they never had complaints 
 regarding infestation of goods exported to Australia or 
 to the Brazils, but nearly all the complaints came from 
 Cape Town, or from Port Elizabeth, in Cape Colony. 
 
 * The above description of Anobium larvse is abridged from that given 
 in Prof. Westwood's ' Introd. to Classification of Insects,' vol. i. p. 271.
 
 ANOBIUM PANICEUM. 17 
 
 How the attack was set on foot remained unknown, 
 but the damage caused was very serious. Mr. Bairstow 
 communicated on this subject as follows : " This beetle 
 has proved most disastrous to the boot and shoe trade 
 in Port Elizabeth " ; and, relatively to means of pre- 
 vention, reported observations to the effect that socks 
 containing alum were free from insect-attack. In con- 
 firmation of this socks were shown, one of which that 
 had been dipped in alum being free from attack, and the 
 other, which had not been dipped, being infested. This 
 agrees with observations as far back as the time of 
 Linnaeus, that these grubs would be destroyed by alum. 
 
 With regard to preventive measures which might be 
 serviceably applied in the process of making the boots, 
 it appeared that as the attack was limited, or almost 
 entirely limited, to the parts where paste had been used in 
 manufacture, that the thing needed was either the mixture 
 of some chemical with the paste which, though poisonous 
 to the maggot, would be harmless to the boot-makers and 
 likewise non-injurious to the boots ; or, if it could be 
 done without causing difficulty in working the needles, 
 to use paste with the nutritious part of the flour 
 removed, and thus, even if the beetle-eggs were laid, any 
 maggots hatching from them would die for want of food. 
 
 In the practical working of these plans there were, 
 however, some difficulties. These matters I went into 
 at the time with some of our chief manufacturing or 
 exporting firms, and also, through the courtesy of Prof. 
 Bernard Dyer, of Great Tower Street, London, was 
 favoured with analyses of the materials used for the 
 above purpose, namely, for forming in-nutritious paste, 
 of which samples were sent me for investigation. 
 
 As widespread business interests are involved in the 
 considerations of the details of this attack, its causes and 
 its cure, I have not thought it desirable to go in full 
 here into these points ; but I preserve the letters for 
 reference in case of need, and, if desired for practical 
 use, would gladly give any information in my power to 
 any applicant personally interested. 
 
 c
 
 18 MEALIE BEETLE. 
 
 FAM. TENEBEIONID^E. 
 PSAMMODES OBLIQUATUS, Sol. (Fig. 9.) 
 
 Psammodes obliquatus, Solier, Mem. Ac. Torin. 1844, 
 p. 309. 
 
 M K 
 
 FIG. 9. Psammodes obliquatus. 
 
 Injurious to Mealies. 
 
 Elongate-ovate, convex, piceous-black or red-brown ; 
 head, thorax, and under side dull, the elytra shining. 
 The head is flat and finely punctured, with the eyes 
 small and prominent ; the front part is a little convex, 
 more sparingly punctured and shining ; the antennae 
 are dull brown, sparsely pubescent, with the base and 
 apex reddish. The thorax is transverse, broadest in 
 the middle, with the basal and anterior angles a little 
 produced and rounded, convex in the centre, and closely 
 covered with fine setiferous punctures ; the sides are a 
 little reflexed and transversely wrinkled. The scutellum 
 is very closely punctured, short and almost entirely con- 
 cealed when the thorax is raised. The elytra have three 
 slightly oblique longitudinal ridges on each, which do not 
 extend quite to the apex ; these ridges and the elevated 
 sutural margin are closely punctured and covered with 
 coarse depressed brownish setse ; the other parts have 
 coarser remote punctures furnished with similar setse, 
 the outer margin is reflexed, and the apex has a small 
 notch at the suture. The under side and legs are black 
 or piceous, and closely covered with fine setiferous punc- 
 tures ; the tarsi are reddish. The length of the body is 
 14 15 millm.
 
 OPATBUM MICANS. 19 
 
 This beetle is usually found covered with a coating of 
 mud, which the rough setiferous surface renders very 
 difficult to remove; in its earthy clothing it would 
 scarcely be recognized from the above description, as 
 the colour and punctation is entirely hidden. 
 
 The genus Psammodes belongs to the subfamily Molu- 
 rides, and is confined to Africa ; very little appears to 
 be known of their habits, although several species are 
 very common at the Cape. The general aspect of many 
 of the species is not unlike some of the Carabidce, but 
 in having only four joints to the posterior tarsi (hinder 
 pair of feet) they may be readily distinguished from that 
 family, in which all the tarsi are five-jointed. 0. E. J. 
 
 Miss Glanville has sent this beetle for identification, 
 as " a Mealie pest received from Albany in 1885." 
 
 OPATRUM MICANS, Germ. (Fig. 10.) 
 Opatrum micans, Germar, Ins. Spec. Nov. p. 145. 
 
 FIG. 10. Opatrum micans, magnified and nat. size. 
 
 Injurious to Carrot-roots and Potato-leafage. 
 
 Elongate-ovate, somewhat depressed, dull brownish 
 black, and closely covered with short depressed brownish 
 grey hairs. The head is short, broad, flat and closely 
 covered with confluent punctures; there is a slight, 
 curved, transverse impression in front of the eyes, and 
 the front of the clypeus has a deep central notch ; the 
 antennae are nearly twice as long as the head, and 
 gradually thickened towards the apex ; the seven basal 
 
 n 2
 
 20 CARROT AND POTATO BEETLE. 
 
 joints are shining red-brown, the others are dull piceous. 
 The thorax is as broad as the elytra at the base, the 
 sides are rounded and narrowed to the front, with the 
 anterior angles produced on each side of the head to the 
 front of the eyes ; the punctation is very close and 
 confluent, and there is a slight longitudinal line in the 
 centre. The scutellum is nearly semicircular, a little 
 broader than long, slightly punctured and shining. The 
 elytra are nearly straight at the sides, slightly broader 
 in the middle, and have nine impressed rows of large 
 deep punctures on each, the interstices are slightly 
 convex and finely punctured. The under side and legs 
 are rather closely punctured, shining, and with the 
 pubescence more sparse than on the upper side ; the 
 tibiae towards the apex and the tarsi are red-brown or 
 piceous. The length of the body is 8 9 millm. 
 
 The genus Opatrum belongs to the Opatrides, a distinct 
 subfamily from the preceding ; nearly 150 species are 
 now known from various parts of the Old World ; they 
 are usually found in sandy and barren districts, and 
 often occur in great profusion. The only species found 
 in England (0. sabulosu?n) is very common on the coast 
 in sandy and muddy localities. 0. E. J. 
 
 This beetle is reported by Miss Glanville to destroy 
 carrots in much the same way as Heteronychus arcttor 
 does the potatoes, also that it has been observed feeding 
 on the leaves of potato. 
 
 It is noted of the Opatrum hadroides, Woll., the species 
 widely distributed in St. Helena, that it occurs beneath 
 stones, likewise that " Mr. Melliss mentions that he has 
 frequently observed it in great profusion on ploughed 
 fields at Longwood and in potato-grounds,"* which last 
 observation of locality agrees with the observation of 
 Miss Glanville regarding that of the above species, the 
 O. micans. 
 
 * ' Coleoptera Sancta Helens;,' by T. Vernon Wollaston, p. 225.
 
 MYLABRIS OCULATA. 21 
 
 FAM. OANTHABIDJE. 
 MYLABRIS OCULATA, Thunb. (Fig. 11.) 
 MYLABRIS LUNATA, Pall. (Fig. 12.) 
 
 FIG. 11. Mylabris oculata. 
 
 Injurious to Peas and Beans, likewise hurtful to 
 fruit-blossom. 
 
 Of this family, to which the well-known Blister 
 Beetle or Spanish Fly (Cantharis vesicatoria), belongs, 
 Miss Glanville has submitted seven species for deter- 
 mination ; these prove to be as follows: Mylabris 
 oculata, Thunbg., M. 16-guttata, Thunbg., M. capensis, 
 Linn., M.groendali, Billbg., M.lunata, Pall., M. undata, 
 Thunbg., and Lytta pallidipennis, Haag. The last- 
 mentioned species is one of the true Cantharidte ; the 
 others have been separated by some authors as a distinct 
 family under the name of Myldbridce, the principal dis- 
 tinction being that the antennae are long and filiform in 
 the former and shorter and conspicuously thickened 
 towards the apex in the latter. The Mylabrida possess 
 the same vesicating properties as the true Cantharidce, 
 and are very similar to them in form ; the majority of 
 the species are black with yellow or red bands and 
 markings on the elytra, and it is the shape and extent 
 of these markings which is chiefly used to distinguish 
 the species. Many species of this family are found in 
 South Africa, and as Mr. Bairstow remarks that "all 
 our Myldbridee are scourges," it would be of little service 
 to give a detailed description of the species sent.
 
 SS2 BEAN BRUCHUS. 
 
 M. oculata, of which a figure is given above, is one of 
 the largest and most conspicuous species of the genus ; 
 the body and legs are black and rather shining, with 
 short black hairs ; the antennas are yellow, and there is 
 a small round spot at the base of each of the elytra, and 
 two broad bands extending right across them of a dark 
 amber-yellow. Mr. Bairstow notes the injurious nature 
 of " all our Mylabrida," and also that he had observed 
 this species on the blossoms of fruit trees. 
 
 FIG. 12.Mylabris lunata. 
 
 M. lunata, of which a figure is also given, is about 
 half the size of M. oculata, and has the yellow bands on 
 the elytra much narrower, and the round basal spot 
 which is present in that species, is here replaced by a 
 curved yellow mark or lunule. This species is stated 
 by Mr. Bairstow to be very common in the district of 
 Albany, Peddie, and Fish Eiver, destroying peas and 
 beans. 
 
 FAM. BKUCHID^. 
 BRUCHUS sp. ? (SUBARMATUS, Gyll.?). (Fig. 13.) 
 
 The South African Bean-seed Beetle does not quite 
 agree with any species of which descriptions have been 
 published ; it approaches very close to the B. subarmatus, 
 Gyll., and may eventually prove to be that species, but 
 as the specimens forwarded for determination are not in 
 good condition the question of specific identity is left 
 open for the present. About 400 species of this genus 
 have now been described from various parts of the world, 
 and as they, from their habits, are peculiarly liable to 
 transmission from one country to another it renders the 
 determination of a species often a very tedious matter,
 
 BBUCHUS SP. ? 
 
 23 
 
 and especially difficult when the specimens are imperfect 
 and abraded. 
 
 FIG. 13. Bruchus subarmatus, Gyll. ? 
 
 Beetle, maggot, and chrysalis, all natural size and magnified ; injured 
 beans ; and fragment of case of chrysalis magnified. 
 
 The above figures are taken from the specimens for- 
 warded by Mr. Bairstow from Port Elizabeth, including 
 the three stages of larva, pupa, and imago, together 
 with injured beans, which in some instances still con- 
 tained the pupa or imago. A description of the perfect 
 beetle is as follows : 
 
 The upper surface is black, slightly shining, and with 
 fine depressed ashy brown pubescence. The head is very 
 finely punctured, with the eyes large and prominent, 
 and the forehead convex ; the antennae are black, with 
 the four basal joints dull red. The thorax is closely 
 punctured, a little rounded at the sides and obliquely 
 narrowed in front, the base is a little produced in the 
 middle over the scutellum, and has a slight central 
 impression and notch, the pubescence is closer and 
 forms a pale narrow longitudinal line in the centre. 
 The scutellum is nearly square, with a small central 
 notch behind. The elytra are very finely and closely 
 punctured with ten impressed rows of larger punctures 
 on each; there are three indistinct transverse marks
 
 24 BEAN BKUCHUS. 
 
 produced by a paucity or absence of the pubescence. 
 The under side is black or piceous, very finely punc- 
 tured, and has a similar pubescence to the upper side ; 
 the sides and the apex of the abdomen and the pygidium 
 are dull red. The legs are entirely dull red, with the 
 exception of the posterior femora, which are black on 
 the under side, and have a small acute tooth near the 
 apex. The length of the body is 4 millm. 
 
 Of the British Bruchi this species is most nearly 
 allied to B. loti. Compared with our well-known Bean- 
 seed Beetle (B. rufimanus, Boh.), it is smaller, rather 
 more depressed above, has a narrower thorax, without 
 teeth at the sides, and has the posterior femora furnished 
 with a small acute tooth near the apex ; the colour of 
 the middle and hind legs, and the markings on the elytra 
 are also different. 0. E. J. 
 
 Judging both from the specimens and the descrip- 
 tions forwarded, the attack of this Seed-weevil is 
 seriously hurtful. In two of the beans figured above 
 I found four holes showing where beetles had escaped, 
 in another seven beetles had been present, and in 
 another I found five beetles or coloured chrysalids still 
 within. Mr. S. D. Bairstow reported that " This pest, 
 when in larval condition, reduces the interior of the 
 seed to a fine powder, and passes into pupa sometimes in 
 its powdery bed, which disappears almost immediately 
 on the emergence of the perfect insect." Mr. Bairstow 
 also mentions that the kind of bean which these Seed- 
 weevils most attack is the Sugar-bean (a white one), 
 but that many varieties of beans are grown which they 
 attack also. 
 
 The common method of proceeding of Bruchi that 
 is, of Pea- or Bean-seed Weevils is for the female 
 beetle to lay her eggs on the young pod or seed-vessel 
 whilst still in its early state in the flower. From these 
 eggs the maggots hatch and eat their way into the 
 seeds it may be one maggot or it may be several to 
 each seed and within this seed they usually feed till
 
 BRUCHUS SP. ? 25 
 
 the time comes for them to turn to chrysalids, and 
 thence to beetles. In the case of the common Broad- 
 bean Bruchus of England, the maggot gnaws a tunnel 
 to the outside of the bean, but does not gnaw a road 
 through the outer skin, so that the small round film of 
 skin remains as a covering to the gallery, and when the 
 time comes for the beetle to escape it just presses off 
 the lid, as it may be called, and creeps out. According 
 to circumstances, it may come out in heaps of granaried 
 seed, or in seed sown in the field, and in due season it 
 flies to the blossoms of the beans or peas, or other 
 plants, wild or cultivated, of bean or pea kind suitable 
 for the food of the maggots, and there it starts a new 
 attack. 
 
 The infested beans, and also the maggots, forwarded 
 from Port Elizabeth, show a slight difference respectively 
 in method of attack, and in structure, to what has usually 
 been recorded. Instead of the maggot-tunnels ending as 
 soon as they came to the outside of the bean, I found 
 that they sometimes ran on just under the skin, so that 
 their shape and the blackish colour of the insects when 
 developed to the beetle state could be distinctly seen 
 through the thin transparent coat of the bean. Also 
 in some instances it appeared from the gnawings that 
 the maggot had made, or might have made, its entrance 
 into the seed from the outside. This point should be 
 ascertained by examination of pods on the plant ; but 
 so far as can be judged from the shape of the cavities, 
 and from the appearance of the opening outside the bean, 
 it appeared to have been entered as above mentioned. 
 
 The habit of straying from one seed to another, when 
 the first locality is unsatisfactory, has been recorded in 
 the case of the Lentil Bruchus (B. lentis) from careful 
 observations by Heeger.* 
 
 It appears from these that, when the original quarters 
 no longer suit them, the maggots wander away at 
 evening to seek another dwelling ; in still weather, it 
 is stated, " they let themselves fall to the ground, and 
 
 * ' Praktische Insekten Kunde,' by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg, pt. ii. p. 267.
 
 26 BEAN BEUCHUS. 
 
 by the help of their strong jaws writhe themselves along 
 until they find a pod hanging down conveniently for 
 them, into which they eat without delay." 
 
 In the case of the S. African Bean-seed Maggot, the 
 view of it being able to travel about inside the pod, 
 whatever it may do outside, is confirmed by the struc- 
 ture of the maggot. On microscopic examination, I found 
 that it was, as is usual in other species of Bruchi, much 
 corrugated, but also that the three segments next to the 
 head were distinctly divided beneath from each other, 
 and that each of these segments was furnished with a 
 pair of appendages placed in the common position of 
 feet, and, as far as I could see, answering the purpose 
 of the three pairs of claw-feet which are to be found in 
 many beetle-grubs. 
 
 In the description of the maggot of the Pea Bruchus 
 (B. pisi, Linn.), given by John Curtis, in his ' Farm 
 Insects' (p. 359), he mentions that the maggots are leg- 
 less, or have very minute feet ; this would exactly suit 
 the state of affairs with the S. African maggot. The 
 appendages appeared one-jointed, and slightly conical, 
 or curved. It has not been generally observed that the 
 maggot forms a cell of the destroyed matter round it in 
 which to turn to chrysalis. In some instances this was 
 so strong that the substance of the bean might be broken 
 away from it, as is shown by the magnified figure of a 
 small broken piece of the cell. In the infested English 
 beans this chrysalis-case may be easily observed by 
 soaking the bean for a few hours in water. It then 
 loosens from the gallery and adheres closely to the beetle 
 within it, and in cases of steeps being used to destroy the 
 pest, this adherence of the covering sodden with poisonous 
 matter to the insect would be of practical service. 
 
 Means of Prevention and Remedy. 
 
 Where beans are to be sown immediately, and there 
 is no likelihood of frost ensuing, steeps might be used 
 with good effect to kill the beetles in infested beans.
 
 BRUCHUS SP. ? 27 
 
 I have found by experiment with English beans, that in 
 four-and-twenty hours, or possibly rather more, the 
 moisture would soak into the infested bean so as to 
 destroy the beetle, which I found almost always dead, 
 with the case or cocoon above mentioned clinging round 
 it. I only used water, my object being merely to ascertain 
 whether moisture would pass in ; but in case of some of 
 the regular seed-steeps being used, I should not consider 
 they could fail of being of use. 
 
 It has been found by English experiment in the course 
 of the present year that dressing seed with Calvert's 
 Carbolic-acid answered; this, of course, diluted to a 
 strength enough to kill the insects without damaging 
 the seed. For a good working recipe for this purpose 
 I am obliged to Mr. George Street, of Maulden, Ampt- 
 hill, Bedfordshire. He used a mixture of one pint of 
 M'Dougall's " Sewage Carbolic," 1 Ib. of blue vitriol and 
 six quarts of water to six bushels of beans. This dressing 
 was applied to the beans in the same way as that used 
 for seed-wheat. The beans came up well, made good 
 progress, and Mr. Street informed me, after waiting 
 some time to be able to tell with certainty, that the 
 result was thoroughly satisfactory. 
 
 The method of poisoning the seed by fumigation, 
 which is used in Canada, where the Pea-weevil is so 
 exceedingly injurious that it requires to be carefully kept 
 in check, is very simple, and is stated to be of much use. 
 This is by placing bisulphide of carbon in a large vessel 
 with the infested seeds, which are thus brought under 
 the influence of the poisonous vapour, and the beetles 
 within are thus destroyed before they have the oppor- 
 tunity of flying away to commence new attack. 
 
 When once attack has begun on the seed in the pod, 
 or rather on the pod, whilst it is still so young in the 
 centre of the bean-blossoms that the seed is hardly to 
 be seen within then it is too late to apply any remedy ; 
 therefore it is highly needful to kill the pest in the seeds 
 before they are sown, or so to manage that the beetles 
 may be kept away as far as can be from the crop.
 
 28 BEAN BRUCHUS. 
 
 Before buying seed, a sample should be examined to 
 see whether it is then, or has been, infested. If beetles 
 are in it at the time this will be known by the creatures 
 or their galleries showing through the slightly trans- 
 parent skin of the bean, as I have observed in some 
 instances of S. African bean-seed attack, or by a little 
 round depression in the skin showing where the end of 
 the gallery reaches the skin, as is the case in English 
 attack. If beetles have been present, but are gone out 
 of the seed, this will be known by the seed having little 
 holes like shot-holes into it. 
 
 Seed which either is or has been much infested should 
 not be used, because what has been eaten away by the 
 maggots will so much lessen the seed-leaves which help 
 to support the young plant in its first growth, that it will 
 consequently be weaker, or possibly not shoot at all. 
 
 Sweeping up the beetles in seed-lofts, or the like 
 places where beans may be stored, and destroying them, 
 would, of course, be serviceable, and they should be 
 looked for on the ceilings as well as elsewhere. The 
 beetles live for several weeks at least in this state, for 
 Mr. S. D. Bairstow notes with regard to this Bean-seed 
 Weevil, " Some of the beetles watched by me have lived 
 in the perfect state for five weeks, and are living at the 
 time of writing." 
 
 Where any area, large or small, is much infested, 
 a complete change of crop, so as to ensure absence of 
 beans for two or three years, is highly desirable. If this 
 can be carried out in a district by common consent, 
 and other leguminous plants, whether wild or cultivated, 
 which this beetle attacks, kept under, the absence of the 
 proper food necessarily enormously lessens the amount 
 of the feeders, and clears out the attack for a while. 
 
 The means of prevention may be stated shortly as : 
 destroying the beetle in the seed by steeping or by 
 fumigating ; destroying the beetles in seed-lofts, if they 
 are noticeable ; carefully avoiding sowing infected seed ; 
 and rotation of crops in infested districts.
 
 CEEOPLESIS BICINCTA. 29 
 
 FAM. LAMIIDJE. 
 
 CEROPLESIS BICINCTA, Fab. (Fig. 14.) 
 Lamia bicincta, Fab. Ent. Syst. Suppl. p. 145. 
 L. caffra, Thunb. Mus. Nat. Ups. iv. p. 58, t. 1, f. 1. 
 Cerambyx continuus, Oliv. Ent. iv. 67, p. 123, t. 23, f. 7. 
 C. orientalis, Herbst, Fiissl. Arch. vii. p. 168, t. 45, f. 10. 
 Ceroplesis thunbergii, Fahrs. Ofvers. Kongl. Ak. Forhl. 
 
 1872, 2, p. 41. 
 C. sumptuosa, Pasc. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 4, xv. p. 66. 
 
 FIG 14. Ceroplesis bicincta. 
 
 Willow Beetle. 
 
 Oblong, subcylindrical ; dull black, with sparse short 
 yellowish-grey hairs ; thorax black or covered with a 
 deep red or claret-coloured tomentum ; elytra slightly 
 metallic, or greenish black, with two narrow red bands 
 dividing them transversely into three nearly equal parts ; 
 the apex generally with a marginal band or spot of the 
 same colour. The head is coriaceous, flattened in front 
 and slightly rugulose ; the antennae are each inserted in 
 a large obtuse prominence between the eyes, and divided
 
 80 WILLOW BEETLE. 
 
 by a deeply impressed central line; in the male the 
 antennae are half as long again as the body, in the 
 female scarcely longer than the body. The thorax is 
 slightly impressed and constricted in front and behind, 
 coarsely rugose, and with an obtuse tubercle on each 
 side behind the middle. The scutellum is rounded 
 behind and impressed at the base and in the centre. 
 The elytra are very closely and irregularly punctured ; 
 at the base the punctures are very coarse, deep, and 
 confluent, towards the apex they become smaller and 
 shallower, the shoulders are prominent and obtuse. 
 The under side and legs are coriaceous, and the tarsi 
 are very broad; in the male the anterior and middle 
 tibiae are slightly curved, and the anterior tarsi are 
 fringed with long black hairs. The length of the body 
 is 2035 millm. 
 
 This beautiful but common South African " Long- 
 horn " varies very much in size, the bands on the elytra 
 vary a little in width, and in colour from pink to 
 vermilion : these varieties have been named and re- 
 named several times by different writers. In the typical 
 bicincta the apical marginal band of the elytra is absent ; 
 in some specimens this is only represented by a small 
 spot, and in others it extends along the side margin and 
 joins the second transverse band. The figure is taken 
 from a large male example which, from a comparison 
 with the actual type, is found to agree precisely with 
 sumptuosa, and is also very similar to the variety 
 described and figured by Herbst under the name of 
 orientalis. 
 
 Ceroplesis thunbergii of the ' Coleoptera Caffrariae ' is 
 evidently described from small and very fresh specimens 
 of this species, in which the thorax, base of the elytra, 
 and the under side have a red tomentose clothing ; this 
 tomentum is usually present on the thorax, but many 
 apparently worn specimens are quite destitute of it. In 
 these specimens the elytra generally have a more metallic 
 or greenish lustre. 0. E. J.
 
 CEBOPLESIS HOTTENTOTTA. 81 
 
 CEBOPLESIS HOTTENTOTTA, Fab. (Fig. 15.) 
 
 Lamia, hottentotta, Fab. Syst. Ent. p. 173 ; Oliv. Ent. iv. 
 
 67, p. 90, t. 4, f. 27. 
 Cerambyx lanius, Voet, Cat. ii. p. 13, t. 11, f. 45. 
 
 FIG. 15. Ceroplesis hottentotta. 
 
 This species is very similar to C. bicincta, but is 
 usually smaller, narrower, and of a duller colour, the 
 red bands on the elytra are rather broader and less 
 clearly defined, and the second one never extends more 
 than half-way across each of the elytra, on the outer 
 side, and is sometimes only represented by a small 
 marginal spot. The tubercles in which the antennae are 
 inserted are less prominent and wider apart, and the 
 thorax is more coarsely and sparsely punctured. As in 
 the preceding species, the red tomentose clothing varies 
 in different individuals; in some, apparently freshly- 
 emerged specimens, it is present on the legs, as well as 
 the head, thorax, base of the elytra, and under side. 
 The length of the body is 17 23 millm. 0. E. J. 
 
 Mr. Bairstow, writing from Port Elizabeth, observed : 
 " The Ceroplesis is very injurious, and the great 
 scourge of our Willows ; it is in hundreds up the garden- 
 drive to Emerald Hill, on either side of which are
 
 02 WILLOW BEETLE. 
 
 Willows. It is, perhaps, the commonest ' Longhorn ' 
 throughout the province. The larva burrows in the 
 Willows much like Prionus." 
 
 Miss Glanville, writing from Grahamstown, also noted 
 the Ceroplesis as destructive, whilst in larval con- 
 dition, to fruit-trees, and that the perfect insect had 
 been found dead beneath the bark, having been unable, 
 from some accidental cause, to escape. 
 
 The above notes are appended, in the observations 
 sent accompanying the insects, to the numbers applying 
 to both the above species of Ceroplesis. 
 
 ALPHITOPOLA MACULOSA, Pasc. (Fig. 16.) 
 Alphitopola maculosa, Pascoe, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 2, 
 iv. p. 251 ; Fahrs. Ofvers. Kongl. Ak. Forhl. 1872, 
 2, p. 32. 
 
 FIG. 16. Alphitopola maculosa (magnified). 
 
 "Pitchy-brown, pubescent; eyes, labrum, and an- 
 tennae brown ; palpi pale reddish brown ; head and pro- 
 thorax with five narrow stripes ; elytra with rather 
 obscure large tessellated and sometimes nearly confluent 
 white spots ; under surface pure white ; legs pale brown, 
 with a slight whitish pubescence. Length, 5 lines." 
 Pascoe, loc. cit. 
 
 The small " Longhorn " represented in the figure is 
 noted by Miss Glanville as being " injurious to Orange 
 and Naartje trees in Grahamstown Gardens." 
 
 The specimen sent for identification has been kindly 
 compared by Mr. Pascoe with the type of A. maculosa, 
 and is regarded by him as a variety of that species, the
 
 ALPHITOPOLA MACULOSA. 33 
 
 original description of which is reproduced above. This 
 specimen differs from the typical maculosa in having 
 the upper side closely covered with a greyish white 
 tomentum ; the markings on the head, thorax and elytra 
 are very indistinct and of a dusky-brown colour, and in 
 places where the tomentum has been removed it is 
 shining black ; the antennae and legs are red-brown, the 
 base of the former and the femora are dusky and 
 densely covered with fine white pubescence. In some 
 respects it approaches very close to A. rustica, Fahrs. 
 
 Specimens of the above-named beetles in their larval and 
 chrysalis state, for figurine), and notes of their life-history, 
 would be very desirable. 
 
 Besides the three foregoing species of " Longhorns," 
 Mr. Bairstow observes, "there are numerous other kinds 
 more or less injurious to timber"; and Miss Glanville 
 has sent specimens of six other species for determina- 
 tion, but as no special notes accompany them, it would 
 appear more advisable to defer giving figures and 
 descriptions of them until some definite information 
 is obtained concerning their habits and the kind of trees 
 which they attack. The species sent are as follows : 
 
 FAM. PBIONIDJE. 
 
 ERIODEEUS HIRTUS, Fab. 
 
 Callidium hirtum, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. 2, p. 324; Oliv. 
 
 Ent. iv. 70, p. 5, t. 5, f. 62. 
 Prionus pallens, Fab. Ent. Syst. Suppl. p. 141. 
 
 MACROTOMA DIMIDIATICORNIS, Waterh. 
 Macrotoma dimidiaticornis, Waterhouse, Ann. Mag. Nat. 
 Hist. 5, xiv. p. 386. 
 
 FAM. LAMIID^. 
 PHRYNETA SPINATOR, Fab. 
 Lamia spinator, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. 2, p. 276. 
 
 D
 
 84 FRUIT TREE IPHIDEA. 
 
 FAM. CEEAMBYCIDJE. 
 
 LITOPUS DISPAR, Thorns. 
 Litopus dispar, Thomson, Ess. Class. Ceramb. p. 171. 
 
 PROMECES LINEARIS, Linn. 
 Leptura linearis, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. x. p. 399. 
 Cerambyxfusi/ormis, DeGeer, Mem. vii. p. 657, t. 49, f. 7. 
 Saperda longipes, Fab. Syst. Ent. App. p. 824 ; Oliv. 
 Ent. iv. 70, p. 28, t. 1, f. 8. 
 
 HYPOCEITES MENDAX, Fahrs. 
 
 Hypocrites mendax, Fahrs. Ofvers. Kongl. Ak. Forh., 
 1872, i. p. 62. 
 
 FAM. GALERUCILXE. 
 IPHIDEA CAPENSIS, Baly, n.sp. 
 
 Fruit-tree Iphidea. 
 
 Specimens of this small Phytophagous beetle have 
 been examined by Dr. J. S. Baly, and, on its proving to 
 be a species hitherto undescribed, he has obligingly fur- 
 nished the technical diagnosis given below* under the 
 specific name of capensis. A more general description 
 is as follows : 
 
 Of an oblong form, a little widened behind and mode- 
 rately convex above; the upper surface and legs of a 
 
 * Oblongo-ovata, convexa, flavo-fulva, nitida, pectpre abdominisque 
 nigris, antennis, basi exceptis. tarsisque apice piceis ; thorace lavi ; 
 elytris tenuiter subcrebre punctatis, margine lateral! suturaque anguste 
 nigris. Long 2 lin. 
 
 Hab. South Africa (Grahamstovm). 
 
 Antennas more than half the length of the body ; three, four, or five 
 outer joints nigro-fuscous or black. Thorax smooth, nearly impunctate. 
 Elytra finely but rather closely punctured. Basal joint of the hinder 
 tarsi longer than the following three united (J. S. Baly).
 
 DIBOLIA INTERMEDIA. 35 
 
 pale tawny, or ochreous, yellow, with the eyes, the 
 scutellum, and a very fine marginal line at the suture 
 and sides of the elytra black; the antennae are pale 
 yellow at the base, and become piceous or black towards 
 the apex ; the tips of the tarsi are also piceous ; on the 
 under side, the head and the sides of the thorax are the 
 same colour as above, the other parts of the body are 
 black. The head is diffusely punctured at the base and 
 has an elevated longitudinal line between the antennae 
 and a transverse interrupted elevation on the front of 
 the forehead. The thorax is twice as broad at the base 
 as long, a little rounded at the sides and very indistinctly 
 punctured ; in some specimens there is a dark mark on 
 the disk. The scutellum is rounded at the apex and 
 impunctate. The elytra are irregularly and rather 
 closely punctured. The length of the body is 4 5 millm. 
 Ipkidea is closely allied to the genus Luperus, of which 
 three species are found rather commonly in England. 
 0. E. J. 
 
 In Miss Glanville's notes this beetle attacks fruit 
 trees (apricot, &c.), swarming over them and devouring 
 leaves and fruit. Observed in Lower Albany, Salem, 
 Orange Grove, and Albany. 
 
 For measures of prevention of injury from this insect, 
 details of its life-history are needed ; but (conjecturally) 
 shaking, or sweeping down the beetles when most torpid, 
 and destroying them, also finding where they hybernate, 
 and clearing these shelters, would be of use. 
 
 FAM. HALTICID^E. 
 DIBOLIA INTERMEDIA, Baly. 
 
 Dibolia intermedia, Baly, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1876, 
 p. 598. 
 
 Dark Blue Flea Beetle. 
 
 Ovate, very convex above ; upper side of a dark and 
 slightly metallic blue; under side black or piceous. 
 The head is very finely and sparingly punctured, with 
 
 P2
 
 86 FLEA BEETLE. 
 
 the front and vertex moderately convex ; the antennae 
 are nearly half as long as the body, with the first five 
 or six joints pale fulvous, the other joints are fulvous at 
 the base and piceous or black at the apex ; in some 
 specimens the three terminal joints are entirely black. 
 The thorax is more than twice as broad at the base as 
 long, with the sides rounded and converging from the 
 base to the apex ; the anterior angles are slightly pro- 
 duced, and the surface is distinctly but not very closely 
 punctured. The scutellum is triangular and smooth. 
 The elytra are broader than the thorax at the base, and 
 slightly attenuated towards the apex ; they are rather 
 strongly punctured ; some of the punctures are closely 
 arranged in more or less regular rows on the disk and 
 sides, but in the interstices and at the apex they are 
 more remote and confused. The legs are sometimes 
 entirely black or piceous, but the tibiae and tarsi are 
 usually fulvous ; the posterior legs have very large 
 femora, and the tibiae are channelled above with the 
 edges of the groove serrate. The length of the body is 
 2 3 millm. 
 
 The genus Dibolia does not occur in Britain ; it is 
 allied to Psylliodes, but differs in having eleven-jointed 
 antennae, whereas in the latter genus these organs con- 
 sist of ten joints only. The presence of a bifid spine 
 at the apex of the posterior tibiae is the principal 
 character by which Dibolia is distinguished from all the 
 other genera of Haltiddce. In size, colour, and general 
 aspect this species very much resembles Psylliodes 
 chalcomera, Illig. 0. E. J. 
 
 This small " Flea Beetle " has been kindly identified 
 by Dr. Baly, the well-known authority on this group of 
 Coleoptera, from specimens sent by Miss Glanville, who 
 states that it destroys peas and beans at Grahamstown. 
 
 Of this and the preceding species (Iphidea capensis) 
 Mr. Bairstow writes that about three years previously 
 to the date of writing that is, about 1883 he saw them 
 in millions right away through British Caffraria, and of
 
 PAPILIO DEMOLEUS. 
 
 37 
 
 the Dibolia intermedia he notes that it used now and 
 then to appear on his apricot trees at Uitenhage. 
 
 For reference to remedies found serviceable for this 
 kind of attack, see Index. 
 
 ORDER LEPIDOPTEBA. 
 
 FAM. PAPILIONHXE. 
 PAPILIO DEMOLEUS. (Fig. 17). 
 
 Papilio demoleus, Linn. Mus. Lud. Ulr. Reg. p. 214 ; 
 Cram. Pap. Ex. iii. t. 231, f. A, B ; Trimen, Ehopal. 
 Afr. Austr. p. 17, t. 1, f. 1. 
 
 FIG. 17. Papilio di'moleiw.
 
 88 COMMON SWALLOWTAIL. 
 
 Common Swallowtail, or Orange Butterfly. 
 
 Upper side sooty-black, both the wings, except towards 
 the outer margin, thickly speckled with fine pale yellow 
 scales and with conspicuous pale sulphur-yellow spots 
 and bands. On the front wings there are four or five 
 spots arranged in a semicircle near the middle of the 
 front margin ; beyond these a row of three spots, fol- 
 lowed by a smaller elongate spot ; in the middle an 
 irregular transverse band composed of six partially 
 confluent spots, a small one beyond this on the hind 
 margin, a submarginal series of seven round spots, an 
 elongate curved mark near the apex, and eight small 
 spots on the outer margin. The hind wings have a 
 transverse band before the middle in continuation of 
 that on the front wings, a submarginal curved series of 
 seven spots and six smaller ones on the outer margin ; 
 besides these pale sulphur-yellow markings, there is a 
 round eye-like spot composed of fine blue and dull golden 
 scales on the anterior margin, and a similar one, bordered 
 behind by a broad dark red lunular spot, near the anal 
 angle. On the under side both the wings are dark 
 brown, with pale sulphur-yellow markings similar to the 
 upper side, and some additional streaks of the same 
 colour at the base ; on the hind wings there are also 
 eye-like spots similar to those on the upper side, and 
 besides these, there is a sublunular mark of blue and dull 
 golden scales just beyond the middle of the transverse 
 band, and a series of five similar marks before the sub- 
 marginal row of spots. The under side of the abdomen 
 is ochre-yellow, with four longitudinal black lines. The 
 expanse of the wings is 83 108 millm. (85- 4 in.). 
 O.E.J. 
 
 "Larva. Pale yellowish green, marbled with purple 
 or purplish grey running in irregular sub-transverse 
 markings on the sides. Numerous pale ferruginous, 
 small, ocellate spots sprinkled about purple markings. 
 A broad, longitudinal, white stripe above spiracles. 
 Head and legs pale sandy brown ; as well as two small 

 
 PAPILIO DEMOLEUS. 
 
 39 
 
 pointed tubercles on segment next head, from between 
 which is protruded, when the animal is irritated, a 
 crimson, Y-shaped, tentacle-like organ, emitting a very 
 peculiar pungent odour. Two similar smaller tubercles 
 on anal segment (but no Y-shaped organ). A very 
 sluggish larva, and as variable in the distribution of its 
 colours as the butterfly is constant in its pattern. The 
 young caterpillar differs strikingly from the full-grown 
 one, being very dark, without green colouring, and 
 clothed with short spines. Feeds on Umbelliferte, Bubon 
 galbanum, and gummiferum, and in gardens on the fennel. 
 Also on orange and lemon trees." 
 
 FIG. 18. Larva and pupa of Papilio demoleus, L. (after figure given 
 by Prof. Trimen.) 
 
 "Pupa. Dark ash-grey or brownish grey, varied with 
 darker shades and streaks. Rather elongate ; the bifid 
 head and thoracic elevation very prominent. Commonly 
 attached to the older stems of its food-plants, which it 
 closely resembles in colour." Trimen, ' Ehopalocera 
 Africas Australis,' p. 18.
 
 40 DEATH'S HEAD MOTH. 
 
 Of this Mr. Bairstow mentioned : " This butterfly is 
 common in gardens nearly all over Eastern Province. 
 The larva used to swarm in my garden at Uitenhage 
 (1880-1) on fennel, and the perfect insect was one of the 
 commonest butterflies. From the conspicuous character 
 and size of larva it is easily eradicated temporarily by 
 picking. It prefers fennel to orange." 
 
 The following observation was also forwarded from 
 Mr. de Witt Meulen, of the Winterhoek : " The larvae 
 appear generally at the end of November or beginning 
 of December, on the leaves of orange trees. The spots 
 on their green bodies are modified by age. If touched 
 they emit an odour acrid and very pungent, withdrawing 
 their feelers at will. They are generally in greater 
 number on trees the lower branches of which are allowed 
 to trail on the ground, and if not disturbed may in that 
 case destroy all the leaves. 
 
 " It is advisable to cut all branches of shrubs under 
 one foot above the ground ; to turn as often as possible 
 the soil within a circle of one foot from the trunk, 
 keeping it moist, and to watch for the grubs during the 
 summer season, inspecting the leaves daily when they 
 are attacked, and killing the pest before injury is done 
 to the tree." 
 
 FAM. SPHINGID^E. 
 ACHKRONTIA ATROPOS, Linn. (Fig. 19.) 
 
 Sphinx atropos, Linn. Syst. Nat. (x.) i. p. 490. 
 A. atropos, Ochs. Schmett. Eur. ii. 231. 
 
 Moth injurious by stealing Honey, caterpillar by 
 feeding on various kinds of Leafage. 
 
 Whilst these pages were going through press I received 
 a note from Mr. S. D. Bairstow, of Port Elizabeth, 
 suggesting that amongst the injurious insects of Cape 
 Colony it would be well to mention the " Death's Head
 
 ACHEBONTIA ATROPOS. 41 
 
 Moth," or, as it is sometimes called on this side of the 
 world, the " Bee Tiger Moth." 
 
 The S. African species is the same as that well known 
 in Britain, and therefore, as the attack was reported (in 
 this instance) without specimens being sent, I give below 
 a figure of the British kind, which was drawn for my 
 ' Manual of British Injurious Insects.' 
 
 FIG. 19. AcJierontia atropos. Death's Head Moth, and caterpillar (less 
 than natural size, from British specimens). 
 
 Mr. Bairstow mentions that in S. Africa (as well as in 
 other parts of the world) the moth is fond of extracting 
 the bees' honey from their hives and nests, and he once 
 found an apparently newly-emerged female clinging with 
 its fore legs to a honey bees' nest in a bush on the 
 Zuurberg Pass. He also notes a popular superstition, 
 amounting to an undoubting belief, that in some way 
 or other the action of the proboscis has deadly effect. 
 Various superstitions attach to this moth, partly from
 
 42 DEATH'S HEAD MOTH. 
 
 the skull-like marking on its back, partly from the 
 singular sound or cry which it has the power of giving 
 forth ; and early in the present century, in Campbell's 
 ' Travels in South Africa,' it is stated that the moths 
 steal honey, . . . "which the Hottentots observing, 
 in order to monopolise the honey of the wild bees, have 
 persuaded the colonists that it inflicts a mortal wound." 
 
 This beautiful moth is from four to over five inches in 
 the spread of the wings ; the fore wings of a rich brown 
 varied with yellowish or rusty tints, and with black 
 towards the base; also with various transverse black 
 wavy lines, a whitish spot near the centre, and whitish 
 wavy bars past the middle of the wings, which are like- 
 wise sprinkled or irrorated with white. The hinder 
 wings are of a tawny orange, with two black bands 
 running parallel to the hinder edge, the widest of these 
 being nearest the edge of the wing. The head is deep 
 brown or black, as is also the body between the wings, 
 which in its velvety down has yellow or pale markings 
 resembling the shape of a skull. The abdomen is striped 
 alternately with tawny yellow and black on each segment, 
 and has a bluish line down the middle. 
 
 The caterpillar, which grows to four or five inches in 
 length, is of various shades of colour, usually reddish at 
 first, and afterwards yellow or greenish yellow, with 
 small black warts on the back, and seven stripes placed 
 slantwise on each side with the upper end pointing 
 backwards. These are blue, white, and purple in the 
 centre. The horn at the tail is turned down and 
 tubercled. The colour of the caterpillar differs with age 
 and condition, and there is a variety of a mottled brown 
 colour, which I have once seen, which is very handsome. 
 Mr. Bairstow mentions of the South African caterpillar 
 " it is variable, but most commonly brownish." It is also 
 variable in its food-plants, which include potato 
 leafage; also they are found in Europe on jasmine, 
 Datura and Bignonea catalpa. Mr. Bairstow mentions 
 it as being injurious where he has observed it, in 
 East Province, S. A., to the leafage of vines, or, to use
 
 TRILOCHA FICICOLA. 43 
 
 his own words, it has " a good larval appetite for vine 
 leaves." 
 
 In this case there would be little difficulty (conjecturally) 
 in getting rid of it by handpicking, as the great size of 
 the caterpillars causes them to be easily seen, even by 
 faint light at night. In Britain they usually hide by 
 day and come out to feed at night, and when full fed go 
 down under ground to turn to chrysalids, and stirring 
 the surface of the soil deep enough to turn out these 
 chrysalids would be a thorough preventive of recurrence 
 of attack continued from one year to another on 
 vineyards. 
 
 No mention is made of means used to stop entrance 
 of the moth into bee-hives, but probably the old-fashioned 
 English method of lessening the size of the entrance 
 just for a time is practised. In any case a lump of clay 
 (or anything not annoying to the tenants), which would 
 make the entrance too small for the enemy to enter, or 
 small enough for the occupiers to defend, would stop 
 thefts.* 
 
 FAM. BOMBYCIDJE, 
 TRILOCHA FICICOLA (Westw.) (Fig. 20.) 
 
 The specimens figured (p. 44) show the imago, cater- 
 pillar, and chrysalis cocoon of a small brownish moth, 
 of which the caterpillars do much damage to the leaves 
 of the fig trees at Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The 
 notes from which the following paper was formed were 
 kindly forwarded to me by Mr. S. D. Bairstow from 
 Port Elizabeth (where the habits of the Fig Moth were 
 
 * The caterpillars of some other species of the Sphinx moths are 
 injurious to vine leafage in Canada, and, as they may possibly occur in 
 Cape Colony as similarly injurious, it would be well, in case of their 
 occurrence being noticed, to have observations of their habits. These go 
 into chrysalis state respectively underground; in the ground at a 
 moderate depth; amongst rubbish on the ground; in a cell on the 
 surface ; or, in one instance, in a light web binding a leaf together ; and 
 could be destroyed accordingly.
 
 44 FIG MOTH. 
 
 observed by Mr. Eussel Hallack and himself), together 
 with the specimens from which the figure is taken. I 
 should also mention that I am indebted for the specific 
 name to the excellent authority of Professor West wood, 
 who was good enough to examine the specimens which 
 I submitted to him, and informed me that the species 
 was "very closely allied to the Eastern Trilochavarians, 
 and may be described under the name of Trilocha 
 Jicicola." 
 
 FIG. 20. Trilocha ficicola. Fig Moth, caterpillar, and cocoon.* 
 
 The caterpillars, which are called hunchbacks, are 
 distinguished by their pale tawny colour above, and 
 dark colour below, joining at a line running along the 
 side. The dark colour runs up with a point to the 
 lumps on the back of the caterpillar, and thus adds to 
 the appearance the grub has (when bent down to feed) 
 of being humpbacked. The colours are brightest whilst 
 the grub is young ; when it has got to its full growth of 
 about an inch and a half long, the dark parts are more 
 mottled with light, and the light parts with dark marks. 
 It will also be seen that the grub or caterpillar has a 
 
 * The transmitted specimen of imago not preserving the characteristic 
 markings sufficiently for specified figuring of the fore wings, the reader 
 is referred, for details of markings and description, to p. 45.
 
 TEILOCHA FICICOLA. 45 
 
 blunt spike pointing upwards above the tail. They do not 
 move about much, but are sluggish and stationary, and 
 when stretched out and merely standing on their sucker 
 feet the colouring and the lumps on the back make them 
 look much like twigs. Besides the harm they do to 
 the leafage, they seem partial to the sprouting buds, and 
 will clear them nearly entirely away, and they seem to 
 prefer destroying the leaves on one tree almost completely 
 before they go on to another that may stand near. In 
 a garden containing about thirty fig-trees seven were 
 found to be attacked, the remainder being free. They 
 feed up quickly, and are very hardy. When full fed the 
 caterpillar spins an oval case (Fig. 20, p. 44) round itself, 
 formed of white silk, which may be found either on the 
 tree or near the roots in the earth. The silk cocoons 
 are of the size of the one figured, and within these the 
 caterpillar throws off its skin and turns to a chrysalis, 
 from which in due time there comes out the little brown 
 and grey Fig Moth. 
 
 These moths are about an inch in the spread of the 
 fore wings, which are palish grey, with a broad band of 
 brown along the hinder edge, and a small patch of brown 
 at the end of the wing, and also a brown line on a part 
 of the fore edge, which altogether give a pattern as of a 
 broad, pale grey, forked mark lying on a brown ground 
 towards the front of the wing. The hind wings are 
 chestnut-brown, the down on body chiefly greyish, the 
 eyes pitchy. 
 
 The caterpillars watched by Mr. Bairstow in his 
 garden at Port Elizabeth turned to chrysalids from the 
 26th of June to the 10th of July, and the moths appeared 
 from them after only nine days. There are apparently 
 two broods during the year they are very prolific. 
 
 Prevention and Remedy. 
 
 Picking the caterpillars off by hand is considered the 
 best way to get rid of them whilst attack is going on. 
 Very few can be got rid of by trying to shake them from
 
 46 DIAMOND-BACK MOTH. 
 
 the trees, as the caterpillar is a silk producer, and has 
 great powers of clinging to the leaves, and also of 
 weaving and interweaving silk supports and body bands, 
 but it would be worth trying whether sudden syringing 
 with soft-soap wash would not be of use. 
 
 Fowls are said not to help much where they have 
 been tried, for they have been found to nip leaves from 
 the trees, but not to touch the caterpillars, except when 
 they were in motion. They are remarkably free from 
 attacks of parasite insects. 
 
 Picking cocoons off the trees, and turning over the 
 soil to throw out such cocoons as are just below the 
 surface or bury others, would lessen the amount of the 
 coming attack ; and also, as the moths are noted as being 
 sluggish, it might answer well to shake the trees at 
 whatever time the moths are sleepiest, so that the 
 moths should fall on cloths below, and gather them up 
 and destroy, or trample them on the ground as they 
 fall. E. A. 0. 
 
 FAM. TINEIDJE. 
 PLUTELLA CBUCIFEBARUM, Zell. (Fig. 21.) 
 
 Plutella cruciferarum, Zeller, Stett. Ent. Zeit. 1843, 
 p. 281.* 
 
 Diamond-back Moth. 
 
 The front wings are long and narrow, greyish brown, 
 darker towards the centre, but paler and marked with 
 some small brown spots in front ; a rather broad whitish 
 or ochreous grey band along the hinder margin, with 
 three rounded projections on its front edge : this band is 
 usually spotted with very small dark points, and in 
 some specimens it is considerably obscured by the 
 ground colour on the hinder margin, leaving the three 
 projecting parts alone conspicuous. The hind wings 
 are narrow and pointed at the apex, have a long fringe, 
 
 * For the identification of this small moth (rather a difficult matter, 
 from the injured state in which the specimens were sent) I am indebted 
 to the kindness of Lord Walsingham. E. A. 0.
 
 PLUTELLA CRUCIFERARUM. 
 
 47 
 
 and are of a pale ashy grey colour. The body and legs 
 are brownish grey ; the head and thorax grey or ochreous 
 grey ; the antennae are brown, finely spotted with white. 
 The expanse of the wings is 14 16 millni. 
 
 When this moth is at rest the front wings meet along 
 the back, and the projecting parts of the pale bands form 
 diamond-shaped marks, whence the English name of 
 " Diamond-back Moth." 
 
 FIG. 21. Plutella cruciferarum. Moth (natural size and magnified), 
 caterpillar, and cocoon. 
 
 A piece of cabbage-leaf, much injured by the workings 
 of the caterpillars, was sent over by Mr. Bairstow as a 
 sample of the damage caused by them : specimens of 
 the moths and caterpillars were also sent, together with 
 the following note by Mr. J. de Witt Meulen, of the 
 Winterhoek : 
 
 " Larvae very numerous on young cabbage-plants in 
 June and July. Those placed in breeding-boxes covered 
 themselves, within three days, with a thin translucent 
 web, and remained about thirty days in the chrysalis 
 state. . . . Heavy rains or frequent watering of the 
 leaves destroys many grubs. If planted in rows, cab- 
 bages are protected on each side by a line covered with 
 glue or molasses ; many moths are prevented thereby 
 depositing their eggs on the plants."
 
 48 DIAMOND-BACK MOTH. 
 
 Mr. de Witt Meulen also mentioned that the larvae 
 collected by him in the beginning of August, that is 
 in the S. African winter (corresponding in time of year 
 with the height of summer here), did not develop into 
 moths, but " gnats " only (Ichneumon flies, from which 
 it would appear that this attack must be much kept 
 down by parasites, S. D. B.) appeared instead. The June 
 and August presence of caterpillars would correspond 
 with that of the first and second brood in Germany, 
 which are thus described by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg : 
 
 " The sixteen-footed caterpillars are attenuated at 
 each end, of a bright green, and sprinkled with small 
 bristles, but of which the wart-like bases can only be 
 seen when much magnified. The head is black. 
 Length, 7 mm. At the beginning of June ; for the 
 second time in August and September, under a thin web 
 at the back of the leaves of many different kinds of 
 plants of the cabbage tribe, both wild and cultivated."* 
 
 Specimens of cocoons containing the chrysalids were 
 needed to complete the S. African set ; but from the 
 identity of the species and similarity of its habits, in 
 all that was reported, with those of the Diamond-back 
 Moth of Europe (Fig. 21, p. 47), it may be presumed 
 also that the caterpillar goes into chrysalis, as in Europe, 
 in a cocoon spun on the food-plant or on the ground. 
 
 For prevention of attack, if it is practicable as men- 
 tioned by Mr. de Witt Meulen to place sticky material 
 so as to trap the moths, this would of course be 
 desirable; also where a crop has been destroyed, or 
 weeds near a crop are much infested, it would be well to 
 collect the injured remains before the moths came out 
 of the chrysalids and destroy them. Burning of course 
 would be the surest way, but, as it is the nature of the 
 chrysalis to go through its changes in a more or less 
 open web exposed to air and changes of weather, 
 probably ploughing in of the infested remains would 
 be sufficient treatment, if done before the moths developed. 
 
 * See 'Praktische Insekten Kunde,' by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg, pt.III. 
 p. 273.
 
 CERATITIS CITRIPERDA. 49 
 
 For this purpose observation is needed of how long the 
 chrysalis state lasts. Mr. de Witt Meulen mentions it 
 as lasting thirty days with the August specimens. In 
 Europe it is noted as about eighteen days with the first 
 brood, and that the second hybernates. 
 
 For remedy, the only applications which appear to 
 answer are nitrate of soda or such dressings or treatment 
 as may push on growth, or mechanical means, which 
 sometimes answer. Sweeping the infested plants with 
 light boughs fixed to a scuffler, or sending a man through 
 the crop to shake the caterpillars off with a bough, 
 whilst a boy accompanying throws any mixture of caustic 
 lime or soot on them, has been found to answer ; or 
 sending sheep through the field is of use, by fairly 
 knocking or pushing the caterpillars off, or causing them 
 to throw themselves down, when many are trodden to 
 death by the animals. 
 
 This attack is one which from time to time attracts 
 attention in Britain as very injurious. 
 
 ORDER DIPTEKA. 
 
 FAM. MUSCID.E. 
 SUB-FAM. TEYPETIN^l. 
 
 CERATITIS CITRIPERDA, Macl. (Fig. 22.) 
 
 Ceratitis citriperda, MacLeay, Zool. Journ. iv. p. 475, 
 
 1. 15, fig. 
 
 T&phritis capitata, Wied. Analect. Entom. p. 55. 
 Trypeta capitata, Wied. Aussereur. Zweifl. Ins. ii. p. 496. 
 Petalophora capitata, Macq. Dipt. ii. p. 454. 
 ? Ceratitis hispanica, Breme, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1842, 
 
 p. 183, t. 7, f. 15.
 
 50 ORANGE FLY. 
 
 Orange Fly (" Trypeta " Fly, S. A.). 
 
 The " Orange Fly " has long been well known as 
 causing great amount of damage to oranges, and like- 
 wise as attacking some other kinds of fruit, including 
 peaches. 
 
 The insect appears to be very widely distributed, as it 
 is stated by various observers and writers, from the time 
 of Latreille and MacLeay onwards, to be found in the 
 Azores, the Cape de Verd Islands, Madeira, Mauritius, 
 and countries on the Indian Ocean, and if, as considered 
 by Dr. Schiner,* the only European kind (the Ceratitis 
 Hispanica, Breme) , brought from Andalusia by M.Eambur 
 and described by the Marquis de Breme in the Annals of 
 the French Entomological Society) is identical with the 
 C. citriperda of MacLeay, this adds the South of Europe 
 to its geographical range. 
 
 FIG. 22. Ceratitis citriperda, Fly, magnified, showing the form of the 
 head filaments. Outline, natural size. 
 
 On the 5th of July, 1888, Mr. J. B. Hellier wrote to 
 me from Grahamstown, S. Africa, regarding the attacks 
 of this very destructive fruit fly as follows : 
 
 * "Die einige europaische Art, Ceratitis hispanica, Breme ('Ann. dc 
 la Soc. Entom. de France,' I. ii. 183, Tfl. 7, 1. 15) durfte mit Trypeta 
 capitata, Wiedem., oder Ceratitis citriperda, MacLeay, identisch sein, 
 obwohl die Wiedemann'scihe Art aus Isle de France, und den Azoreu 
 stammt." ' Fauna Austriaca, Die Fliegen,' von J. Rudolph Schiner, 
 Pt. II., p. 174.
 
 CERA.TITIS CITRIPERDA. 51 
 
 "Enclosed please find a specimen of a fly, which has 
 become a most serious pest to our fruit-growers and most 
 objectionable to our fruit-eaters. 
 
 " In some districts last year, Albany amongst the 
 rest, four-fifths of our peaches, apricots, figs, and plums 
 were uneatable. 
 
 " The perfect insect may be seen flying about very 
 swiftly, and depositing some half-dozen eggs in a fruit. 
 . " They do not deposit their eggs till the fruit is 
 turning ripe that is, getting sweet. The maggots are 
 never found in green apricots used for making pies, 
 neither are they found in sour apples. 
 
 " The season 1886-87 was remarkable for the freedom 
 of the fruit from maggots. The oranges at Uitenhage 
 in October and November, 1886, were infested and. 
 maggotty, but the apricots and peaches which came 
 ripe in December and January were comparatively free. 
 My idea was that the mild weather with spring rain 
 brought out the flies, but, there being no other ripe fruit 
 than oranges, the maggots did not come to flies in the 
 usual way. Oranges in our early spring time are at the 
 best, being then thoroughly ripe and lusciously sweet. 
 
 "The fly and three cocoons sent were obtained from 
 an infested peach ; there were six maggots ; two flies 
 came out of the cocoons one escaped, and one of the 
 larvae did not become a pupa. The other three cocoons 
 are enclosed." .... " It is more injurious than the 
 Codlin Moth, or in fact any other fruit destroyer." 
 
 " I have not been able to make out to my satisfaction 
 the way in which the flies are perpetuated from year to 
 year, whether they hybernate like house-flies, or 
 whether they lie dormant in the cocoons." J. 13. H. 
 
 I had the advantage of being able to show Mr. Hellier's 
 specimens to Prof. J. 0. Westwood, Life President of our 
 Royal Entomological Society, who has himself personally 
 studied the habits of this fly as far as can be done from 
 imported specimens. He identified the imago as without 
 doubt a male specimen of the Ceratitis citriperda, and 
 drew my attention to the presence of the peculiar slender 
 
 E2
 
 52 ORANGE FLY. 
 
 filaments, knobbed or dilated at the extremity, which are 
 placed on the head between the eyes, and which are a 
 characteristic of the male of this fly. 
 
 Prof. Westwood, in his paper on this " Orange Fly," 
 in the No. of the ' Gardener's Chronicle ' for Sept. 9, 
 1848, thus describes the fly : 
 
 " The perfect insect is one of the most beautiful of the 
 order to which it belongs, its general colour being fulvous 
 buff, with the thorax grey spotted with black ; the scu- 
 tellum black, with an undulated white line at the base, 
 and two pale grey bars across the abdomen ; the basal 
 half of the wing is much variegated with minute black 
 dots and streaks, with a buff and ashy cloud near the 
 base, another across the middle, another along the 
 extremity of the fore margin dotted with black, and an 
 ashy bar on the inner margin. The male is singularly 
 distinguished by having two slender filaments arising 
 between the eyes, knobbed at the tips (as represented in 
 the figure), a peculiarity which we believe is possessed 
 by no other dipterous insect, and which is wanting in 
 the female." 
 
 In the specimen sent me this peculiar growth might 
 be exactly described, in the words of Macquart, as a, 
 filament terminated by a rhomboidal plate.* 
 
 With regard to the maggot of this fly Prof. Westwood 
 writes, in the paper quoted above : 
 
 " The larva is a white fleshy grub, destitute of legs,. 
 very similar to that of the celery-stem fly, and, like it, 
 it possesses two small black contiguous hooks at the: 
 front of the body, which it alternately protrudes and 
 retracts, thereby tearing the delicate membrane in which 
 the drops of juice are contained. The body is gradually 
 attenuated in front, very indistinctly articulated ; the 
 anterior segments, including the head, are retractile. 
 There are generally several of these larvae in each 
 orange, and when removed and placed upon a flat surface 
 
 * PetalopJiora capitata. Trypeta capitata, ' Wied. Auss. Zweif.' No. 3., 
 1 Histoire JSaturelle des Dipt^res,' par M. Macquart, vol. ii. p. 454.
 
 CERATITIS CITRIPERDA. 53 
 
 they have the power of springing to a considerable dis- 
 tance, in the same manner as the well-known Cheese 
 Maggot. When full grown they eat their way out of the 
 orange, and undergo the change to the pupa state on 
 the outside. 
 
 " The pupa is a small, hard, brown, oval body, the 
 outer surface scarcely indicating any traces of articu- 
 lation, being the dried skin of the larva, within which 
 the real pupa is enclosed." J. 0. W. 
 
 No larvae (or maggots) were forwarded, but the pupa 
 or chrysalis case, of which several were sent, corresponded 
 with the above description. 
 
 In regard to method of attack and various points of 
 life history it was considered by Prof. Westwood, from 
 examination of imported oranges, that the presence of 
 infestation might be inferred sometimes by a puncture 
 not larger than that made by a pin, " but generally 
 surrounded by a withered and discoloured spot varying 
 in size from that of a sixpence to a half-crown." " On 
 opening the orange the interior beneath the discoloured 
 space is found to be decayed, ;and in the middle of this 
 decaying mass the maggot is to be found." 
 
 From notes placed in my hands by Mr. Hellier 
 regarding this fly (now generally known as the Trypeta 
 Fly in the infested district) it appears that, some seven 
 or eight years ago, the mischief attracted the attention 
 of the Albany Natural History Society (when he gave 
 the result of his investigations), and later on (in 1874) 
 he again reported on the subject. In order to be sure 
 of the species of insect giving rise to the mischief, " a 
 collection was made of the various kinds of fruit chiefly 
 infested, consisting of apricots, peaches, pears, apples, 
 and figs. The fruits containing the maggots were placed 
 under glase shades. In the course of three or four days, 
 or a week, according to their age, they changed into the 
 chrysalis or pupa state. In ten days from the time they 
 assumed the pupa state the perfect insect appeared. The 
 fly was exactly the same in whatever fruit the insect 
 was bred."
 
 <54 . ORANGE FLY. 
 
 It is further mentioned that the pest is a " day-light " 
 fly, which is a serviceable matter to know relatively to 
 preventive measures. 
 
 The only known method of preserving fruit from this 
 attack appears to be protecting it by tying it up in calico 
 or muslin bags : thus the fruit has been found to escape 
 attack and be free from maggots ; but the plan is not 
 practicable on the scale of orchard growing, and, in 
 regard to its habits on the bushes, Prof. Westwood, in 
 the paper above mentioned (quoting from various 
 observers specified), mentions that in the Island of 
 Mauritius it was found generally by M. Desjardins on 
 the leaves of the orange. Also that Dr. Heineker, who 
 found the insect in Madeira, " observed it at rest as 
 though basking, and with the wings expanded on the 
 leaves of some thick shrubs." "It had the manners 
 and appearance of an insect of very confined locomotive 
 power and activity," and he seldom saw it upon the wing 
 farther than passing from shrub to shrub. 
 
 One main point of information that is wanted to 
 check attack is Where does the maggot in natural cir- 
 cumstances undergo its changes to the chrysalis state ? 
 
 In various observations, taken from gathered or 
 imported fruit, the change has taken place inside or upon 
 the fruit; but in the case of the "Apple Maggot" of 
 America, the Trypeta pomonella, Walsh, which, as a 
 fruit-feeder and one of the Trypetidce, may be conjectured 
 to be very similar to the S. African fly in its habits, the 
 change is recorded by Matthew T Cooke and Prof. Saunders, 
 and also by Prof. Lintner, as taking place in the earth. 
 It is stated by Prof. Saunders that " When about to 
 change the maggot leaves the apple, and, falling to the 
 ground, burrows under the surface and there enters the 
 chrysalis state, in which condition it remains until the 
 middle of the following summer, when the perfect insect 
 escapes in the form of a four-winged fly."* 
 
 * ' Insects Injurious to Fruit,' by Prof. Saunders, p. 135. Philadel- 
 phia, 1883.
 
 CERATITIS CITRIPEBDA. 55 
 
 Having been specially requested to offer some sugges- 
 tions as to means of lessening this attack I endeavour 
 to do so, but at the same time must beg my readers to 
 bear in mind that, as I have not technical knowledge of 
 the S. African methods of fruit growing, I am only able 
 to suggest on the general principles of prevention which 
 are applicable everywhere. 
 
 It is plain that a large proportion of the maggots 
 causing the attack come to maturity very rapidly in the 
 ripe fruit. If this infested fruit can be distinguished 
 from the sound, might not some proportion of it be 
 hand-picked, and thus much future infestation be got 
 rid of ? Fruit need not be dead ripe for many household 
 purposes, and with a little management much of the 
 infested fruit might be utilized. No information is given 
 as to whether the infested fruit matures sooner and falls 
 more easily than the sound : if it did so, gentle shaking 
 of the trees, and turning sheep or pigs on in case of 
 orchard infestation, would clear off the fruit and all the 
 contained pests immediately. But investigation appears 
 to be needed as to whether this " Orange " or so-called 
 " Trypeta " Fly is double-brooded. Mention is made 
 that the flies hybernate in small numbers. Is it not 
 possible, as with very many other insect attacks, that 
 the second brood may differ in habits, and that the 
 maggots of this may hybernate in maggot or chrysalis 
 state just below the surface of the earth, and come out 
 in fly condition in what is the following spring of the 
 S. African season ? 
 
 It might be found out very easily whether the maggots 
 drop to the ground, by laying cloths smeared with any 
 sticky material which would prevent them straying away 
 beneath a few of the infested trees, and this I think 
 would be particularly desirable with regard to apple 
 Trypeta attack. It might possibly prove on investigation 
 that some at least of this was originated by importation 
 of the American Trypeta pomonella, which, though of a 
 different genus, is of the same family, and certainly 
 similar in some of its habits.
 
 56 . OSTEICH FLY. 
 
 , If the flies are sluggish and inactive, when basking 
 on the leaves, their numbers might be reduced by 
 shaking them down on sticky cloths, or by syringings 
 with good soft soap or whale oil soap washes, which is 
 an American remedy. 
 
 Any fruit that is infested should not be allowed to 
 remain on the ground to continue attack, and if on 
 investigation it should prove that the later maggots go 
 into chrysalis state in the ground, or even that a large 
 proportion of them do so, or if it could be found where 
 the flies usually hybernate, these points would help 
 greatly in lessening amount of attack. 
 
 FAM. HIPPOBOSCIDJE (EPEOBOSCIDEA). 
 HIPPOBOSCA STKUTHIONIS, n. sp.* (Fig. 23.) 
 
 FIG. 23. Hippobosca strutliionis, and egg-like pupa-case, nat. size and 
 magnified ; foot and claw magnified. 
 
 Ostrich Fly. 
 
 The head is impressed and dull black in the middle, 
 the sides next the eyes shining yellow; the vertex is 
 
 * Hippobosca struthionis, n. sp. Nigra, nitida; capite medio opaco, 
 lateribus flavo-marginatis, clypeo flavo, postice rotundato, integro; 
 thorace obsolete strigoso, maculis quatuordecim flavis, postice trans- 
 versim impresso, strigoso ; scutello macula media flava ; abdomine opaco 
 griseo-hirsuto ; pedibus nigro-piceis, griseo-hirsutis, tibiarum medio 
 flavo-notato, tarsis rufo-piceis, femoribus anticis subtus ad basin rufo- 
 flavis. Exp. alar. 16 18 mm. (0. E. Janson). 
 
 HAB. Mount Stewart, S. Africa.
 
 HIPPOBOSCA STKUTHIONIS. 57 
 
 very smooth, shining black, and narrowly bordered with 
 yellow behind ; the clypeus is pale yellow, with the 
 centre and margins brownish ; it is deeply notched in 
 front, broadly rounded behind, and has a deep central 
 impression near the base ; the antennae are black, with 
 brown setae ; the proboscis black, with long grey setae ; 
 eyes pale brown. The thorax is deep shining black, 
 with fourteen small yellow spots ; it is very feebly and 
 irregularly striated on the disk, but more distinctly so 
 at the sides ; there are two slight impressions in front, 
 and a deep, transversely striated, depression behind. 
 The scutellnm is shining black, with a triangular pale 
 yellow spot in the centre ; there are some long grey setae 
 on the hind margin, and in some specimens there is an 
 additional small yellow spot on each side. The abdomen 
 is finely granulate, dull black, with long grey hairs. 
 The underside and legs are black or pitchy-black, with 
 long grey hairs ; the knees and tarsi are pitchy-red ; the 
 underside of the anterior femora are yellow at the base, 
 and there is a yellow or reddish yellow spot in the middle 
 of all the tibiae. The wings are pale brownish hyaline, 
 with the veins pitchy-red or nearly black. The expanse 
 of the wings is 16 18 millm. 
 
 As this species was found to differ from all others 
 existing in accessible collections, and not to agree with 
 any published description, specimens were submitted to 
 Mons. Bigot, of Paris, an eminent authority on the 
 Diptera, and he, after a careful examination, pronounces 
 it to be a species hitherto undescribed. 
 
 It is somewhat remarkable that this fly should have 
 escaped observation until quite recently, and prove to be 
 a species apparently unknown to naturalists, as it is 
 said to have been found in great abundance in the 
 district in which it occurs. 
 
 Another species of these flies (Hippobosca rufipes, 
 Wied.*) has been recorded as occurring on the wild 
 ostrich many years since, but, according to the observa- 
 tions of Lichtenstein during his travels in South Africa, 
 
 * Aussereurop. Zweiflugl. Insecten,' vol. ii. p. 604 (1830).
 
 58 . OSTRICH FLY. 
 
 this species infests the quagga, and is introduced on to 
 the ostrich by the frequent intermingling of the herds of 
 these birds and animals. 0. E. J. 
 
 With regard to what may be appropriately called the 
 " Ostrich Flies," Mr. Bairstow wrote me, on the 20th of 
 May, 1886, as follows : " ... I send herewith three 
 or four flies from the pigeon " [figured and described in 
 following paper E. A. 0.], " and a lot of larger ones 
 with " (what were considered to be) " eggs of the insect. 
 They were sent me through an up-country correspondent, 
 Mr. J. H. Cawood, of Mount Stewart," who further 
 reported that there were thousands on the (ostriches), 
 and that they irritated the birds so that half of their 
 time was taken up in pecking at the flies, and that, 
 judging from the increase in the last two years, if some- 
 thing was not done to destroy them, the feathers would 
 not be worth sending to market, and the writer believed 
 that in time they would destroy the birds. 
 
 With this communication specimens of the flies from 
 the ostriches were forwarded, together with several of 
 the so-called eggs, really pupa-cases which were laid 
 by the flies after they had been placed in the bottle in 
 which they were sent. None of these egg-like pupae 
 were found on the birds. 
 
 Mr. Bairstow remarked that this appeared to be a 
 terrible pest, and well worth investigating, and later on 
 forwarded me more specimens, with the mention that 
 they were a very serious trouble, appearing (as he 
 correctly describes the habits of this kind of fly) " to 
 use both suckers and claws to irritate the bird, causing 
 it to peck and injure the feathers, especially those of 
 the wing, which are the most valuable." 
 
 These observations are of especial interest, as, with 
 the exception of the flies recorded (as mentioned pre- 
 viously) on some wild ostriches, it had been considered 
 that the Hippobosca only attacked quadrupeds. The 
 very peculiar life-history of these flies that is, of the 
 Hippoboscidce may perhaps throw some light on the
 
 HIPPOBOSCA STRUTHIONIS. 59 
 
 means of checking their increase. They do not lay eggs ; 
 neither, as is the case with some flies, produce living 
 maggots, but the maggot lives and feeds inside the 
 abdomen of the female fly until it is full grown ; then it 
 forms a kind of roundish, white or yellowish, case, which 
 is deposited by the fly, and in this case the maggot 
 changes to the pupa or chrysalis state, from which the 
 fly presently comes out. How soon this happens would 
 be useful to know, and might easily be found out by 
 putting some of the cases in a box in tolerably natural 
 temperature and watching for appearance. 
 
 The cases sent me were much like little roundish 
 white balls, with a brown spot on one side : it is very 
 likely that they would be found shortly to turn, like 
 those of the European Hippobosca examined, found on 
 horses and cattle, to a black colour. 
 
 As Mr. C a wood mentions that he did not find any of 
 these cases on the infested ostriches, and it is quite 
 plain that it was laying time with the flies, for I saw 
 cases they had laid, with them in the bottle, it may 
 fairly be presumed that a large proportion of them fall 
 to the ground ; and here we get to what might be a 
 measure of prevention. 
 
 If the ostriches remain on the ground where the fly- 
 cases have fallen, it is almost certain when the flies come 
 out of the cases that they will start a new attack ; but 
 if ground could be changed so that a dressing of quick- 
 lime, or anything that would kill the contents of the 
 cases, could be run over the ground, and the birds 
 individually dressed so as to remove at least a good 
 proportion of the flies, so that they should not infest the 
 new ground, this would appear likely to lessen the 
 amount of attack greatly. 
 
 If any poultry can safely be allowed to run on ostrich 
 fields or folds, these might probably be turned to good 
 account in picking up the egg-like fly- cases which drop 
 from amongst the ostrich feathers, especially when the 
 cases are still white. 
 
 The European kind of fly (Hippobosca equina) usually
 
 60 OSTRICH FLY. 
 
 -collects on special parts of the infested animal ; and like 
 the Ostrich Fly causes irritation both by blood-sucking 
 and creeping, which it can do in any direction, sideways 
 or backwards, with great nimbleness, as well as forwards, 
 and the remedies used are local applications or dressings. 
 These are of any kind that will make the part obnoxious 
 to the fly, tobacco decoctions, soapsuds, and various 
 other things are found to succeed ; but of course there 
 is not the difficulty in the case of stock that there is with 
 the ostriches as to spoiling beauty of feathers. I know 
 McDougall's dip has been used for Ostrich Fly, but 
 have not yet had report of result. The remedy applied 
 by Mr. Cawood, of sulphuring the infested birds, would, 
 on general principle of treatment of insect attack to 
 fowls, appear likely to be useful, 
 
 In treatment for " Forest Fly," the European kind 
 before referred to, it has been found that the great point 
 to check increase is the most careful attention to cleanli- 
 ness : the flies increase most rapidly on animals that 
 have been neglected, or in which state of health, con- 
 dition, or other circumstances of welfare or surroundings, 
 disposes them to attract the flies, and to suffer specially 
 when they come. 
 
 No details are given of whether the attack lasts all the 
 year, or begins from flies which have spent the winter in 
 shelters, or have come out of the chrysalis in the spring ; 
 but if this latter is what happens, it could not fail to be 
 of service to use all measures available, such as white- 
 washing or cleaning out what might be exceedingly 
 likely to shelter, in any sheds or houses, or places used 
 for collecting or sheltering, or artificial hatching of the 
 ostriches, the chrysalids or the flies which presently 
 would start new attack on the birds.
 
 OLFEKSIA SPINIFERA. 61 
 
 OLFERSIA SPINIFERA, Leech. (Fig. 24.) 
 
 Feronia spinifera, Leech, Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc. ii. 
 
 p. 557, t. 26, f. 13. 
 Olfersia spinifera, Wied. Aussereur. Zweifl. Ins. ii. p. 607 ; 
 
 Wulp, Tidj. v. Ent. xxiii. p. 193. 
 
 FIG. 24. Olfersia spinifera, nat. size and magnified.* 
 
 Pigeon Fly. 
 
 In structure and general form this species is very 
 similar to the Ostrich Fly (H. struthionis], but it is a 
 rather smaller and an altogether more slender insect. 
 The head is narrower, and more closely attached to the 
 thorax, dull brown or piceous in the middle, the base and 
 sides next the eyes shining; the clypeus is brownish 
 yellow, shining, and has a large central notch in front. 
 The thorax is much narrower than in H. struthionis, 
 piceous or black, and without spots ; the anterior angles 
 are furnished with a large pointed tubercle, which 
 projects in front outside the back part of the eyes ; these 
 tubercles and the sides of the thorax are usually paler 
 than the other parts, and in some specimens are of a 
 very pale greenish, or yellowish, brown. The scutellum 
 is very short, transverse, and smooth ; it varies in colour 
 
 * In the magnified figure the middle pair of legs are partially hidden 
 by the wings. E. A. 0.
 
 62 LOCUST. 
 
 from yellowish brown to pitchy-black. The abdomen is 
 dull black or piceous, with short grey hairs ; the sides 
 and base are usually paler, and sometimes yellowish 
 brown. The wings are narrower and more pointed at 
 the apex than in H. struthionis, with the nervures finer, 
 and there are three distinct nervures crossing the wing 
 obliquely to the hind margin. The legs vary in colour 
 from piceous-brown to pale brownish yellow ; the claws 
 are black, and differ from those of Hippobosca in being 
 acutely bidentate from the base ; the inner tooth is as 
 fine and nearly as long as the outer one ; the feet thus 
 appear to have four ungues, or claws, on each. The head, 
 thorax, apex of the abdomen and the femora have, 
 besides the pubescence, some long brown bristles or 
 setae. The expanse of the wings is 13 15 millm. 
 O. E. J. 
 
 The specimens sent over of the fly described and 
 figured above were taken from tame pigeons by Mr. J. 
 Crawford, of Port Elizabeth, and similar flies are said 
 to be found on wild birds. These being (like the Ostrich 
 Flies mentioned previously) of the family of the Hippo- 
 boscida, they have the same method of increase, and 
 similar principles of treatment would be applicable to 
 keeping down great amount of infestation. E. A. 0. 
 
 ORDER OETHOPTEEA. 
 
 FAM. ACRIDIID^E. 
 PHYMATEUS MORBILLOSUS (Linn.) (Fig. 25.) 
 
 Gryllus morbillosus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 700 ; Eoesel. 
 Ins. ii. t. 18, f. 6. 
 
 Locust. 
 
 The head and thorax are either entirely bright vermilion- 
 red or pale yellow or greenish, with the raised lines and
 
 PHYMATEUS MORBILLOSUS. 
 
 FIG. 25. Phymateus morbillosus.
 
 64 LOCUST. 
 
 tubercles red. The head is sparsely punctured, and has 
 four raised longitudinal lines in front ; the two central 
 lines are close together and very prominent between the 
 antennae, but diverge and curve outwardly towards the 
 eyes on the front of the forehead ; the vertex is convex, 
 and has a slight raised longitudinal line in the centre ; 
 the antennae aie composed of about twenty joints and 
 taper slightly towards the apex, the basal joint is thick 
 and pale yellow, the second is very short and reddish 
 yellow or pitchy, the other joints are deep black and 
 finely punctured. The thorax has large tubercles on 
 the upper part in front, and some smaller ones behind 
 and at the sides ; there is a raised longitudinal line in 
 the centre, interrupted by four transverse impressed 
 lines ; the basal part is punctured or rugose, and is 
 considerably raised and produced behind. The base of 
 the wings and the intervening part of the body is dark 
 brown or black. The abdomen is yellow, with the base 
 of each segment broadly margined with black at the 
 sides and above. The fore wings vary in different 
 individuals from indigo-blue or purple to pale greenish 
 yellow ; the short transverse nervules are spotted with 
 yellow. The hind wings are of a similar colour to the 
 fore wings in front, and have numerous small dark 
 purple or blackish spots ; the hinder part varies in 
 different individuals from pale pinkish yellow to bright 
 vermilion, and the spots are smaller and less numerous 
 than in front. The legs vary from yellow to vermilion, 
 with the knees, the tips of the spines on the tibiae, and 
 the tarsi, more or less purple or pitchy black. The 
 underside of the body is yellow. The expanse of the 
 wings varies from 90 to 140 millim. (85- 5| in.). 
 
 This fine locust is very variable both as regards colour 
 and size ; the highly coloured individuals in which the 
 vermilion predominates are exceedingly gorgeous insects. 
 It occurs as far as the Eiver Congo in West Africa, and 
 is said to be also found in Madagascar. 0. E. J. 
 
 Unfortunately the few lines of observation sent from
 
 PTYELUS GBOSSUS. 65 
 
 S. Africa regarding the above species, and likewise 
 regarding the C. ruficornis noted below, were too general 
 to be of any definite service as to their habits or measures 
 of prevention. I am only able, therefore, at present to 
 add a figure of the very beautiful specimen of the P. 
 morbillosus which was sent me, and to suggest that notes 
 of the life-history of both species would be of much 
 interest. E. A. 0. 
 
 Another species of Locust received from S. Africa is 
 Cyrtacanthacris ruficornis, Fab. : this, in general appear- 
 ance, resembles the common Egyptian Locust (Acridium 
 peregrinum, Oliv.), which likewise occurs in S. Africa. 
 0. E. J. 
 
 ORDER EHYNCHOTA. 
 DIVISION HOMOPTEBA. 
 
 FAM. CERCOPIM. 
 PTYELUS GROSSUS, Fab. (Fig. 26). 
 
 Cercopis grossa, Fab. Ent. Syst. iv. p. 47. 
 Plinthacrus maculicollis, Spin. Gen. d'Ins. Art. p. 154. 
 P. 4-maculatus, Spin. 1. c., p. 155. 
 Ptyelus eburneus, Walk. List Homopt. iii. p. 704. 
 P.fabridi, Stal, Ofvers. Vet. Ak. Forhl. 1855, p. 96. 
 P. hottentottus, Stal 1. c., p. 96. 
 
 H.K. 
 
 FIG. 26. Ptyelus grossus natural size, and hind leg magnified. 
 
 P
 
 66 
 
 TREE FROGHOPPER. 
 
 Tree Froghopper. 
 
 The head is short, broad, prominent, and obtuse in 
 front ; the eyes are narrow and oblique on the upper 
 side. The thorax is of a transverse triangular form, 
 with the apex i-ounded and broadly notched in front of 
 the scutellum ; the front margin is a little rounded, and 
 the lateral angles are very acute ; the entire surface is 
 very closely and finely punctured, and has sparse short 
 pale pubescence. The scutellum is triangular, with the 
 apex produced and very acute ; the punctuation and 
 pubescence are similar to that on the thorax, and there 
 is a large depression in the middle. The tegmina* are 
 broadest about one-third from the base ; the costal 
 margin is strongly arched, and the apex is rounded. The 
 legs are rather slender ; the hinder tibiae have two sharp 
 spines on the outer side, and a row of spines on the 
 under side at the apex ; there is also a similar row of 
 smaller spines on the first and second joints of the 
 hinder tarsi. 
 
 The colour and markings are subject to considerable 
 variation, and several forms, which had been describ ed 
 as distinct species, have since been united by Stult as 
 simple colour- varieties of grossus. In the variety figured 
 the body is of a pale yellow or somewhat ivory colour, 
 with the disk of the thorax and the apex of the abdomen 
 beneath reddish ; there are some small black spots at 
 the base of the head and on the front of the thorax, and 
 some larger confluent spots on the hinder part of the 
 thorax and sides of the scutellum ; the eyes are dusky 
 brown ; the abdomen blackish brown above, with the 
 margins of the segments and some very small spots 
 pale yellow ; the tegmina are dusky brown, with two 
 large spots in front, and some very small ones chiefly 
 towards the base and hind margin pale yellow; the 
 wings are clear hyaline in front and at the abdominal 
 margin, the middle and outer parts are smoky brown, 
 
 * Hemelytra, or front wings. 
 
 t ' Hemiptera Airicana,' iv. p. 71 (1866).
 
 PTYELUS GROSSUS, 67 
 
 the nervures dark brown ; the apex of the rostrum, a 
 broad ring on the anterior tibiae, the four anterior tarsi, 
 and the spines and claws of the hinder legs, are blackish 
 brown. In other varieties the tegmina are more 
 extensively marked with yellow, or the ground colour is 
 pale yellow, with confluent, undulating, dusky brown 
 markings ; the dark spots on the head and thorax vary 
 in size and form, and are sometimes altogether absent ; 
 in some specimens the dark ring on the anterior tibiae is 
 wanting, and the yellow markings on the upper side of 
 the abdomen are often more extensive than in the 
 variety figured. 
 
 The length of the body is 12 15 millm., the expanse 
 of the tegmma 3040 millm. 0. E. J. 
 
 Of this handsome insect Miss Glanville, after men- 
 tioning that she is doubtful whether this Froghopper 
 may rank among the pests, remarks, " It has been sent 
 from Lower Albany on the plea that it destroys fruit 
 trees. In its larval state it is always enclosed in froth : 
 the trees aifected by it are called ' weeping trees,' for 
 clear drops of water are continually distilling from the 
 patches of froth. It is said that a tree attacked dies in 
 a year or two, because the sap is abstracted ; but the 
 evidence is by no means conclusive." M. G. 
 
 The habit of the Ccrcopidce, the family to which this 
 large Froghopper belongs, is to live in all stages by 
 drawing the sap from their food-plants by means of their 
 rostrum or beak. The insects are much the same in 
 shape throughout their lives, but at first (that is, in the 
 larval stage) have no wings; as pupse the wings are 
 only partly formed. In these stages some kinds live in a 
 mass of froth ; and it is noted of one species, Aphrophora 
 Goudotii, Bennett, found on trees in Madagascar, that 
 the larva " has the power of emitting a considerable 
 quantity of clear water, especially in the middle of the 
 day, when the heat is greatest." * 
 
 * ' Intiod. to Classification of Insects,' by Prof. J. 0. Westwood, vol. 
 ii., p. 433. 
 
 F2
 
 68 TREE FEOGHOPPER. 
 
 Where " Froghoppers " are numerous they are likely 
 to cause much mischief to the shoots which they fre- 
 quent, by drawing away sap, and they also do harm by 
 means of the many small punctures caused by inserting 
 their suckers in the tender tissues. 
 
 Sometimes they occur on grass (as in the case of the 
 Ptyelus lineatus, Linn., which was reported as being 
 very prevalent, in June of last year, on grass in meadows 
 and pastures, at a locality in New York State, U. S. A.*). 
 
 The best method of prevention would be to find where 
 the eggs are laid, and destroy them. By keeping close 
 watch on trees usually infested, it would be found 
 whether the young Hoppers (wingless and very minute) 
 were first seen on the branches and shoots, or were 
 found at the lowest part of the trunk, as if crawling up 
 from below. This would probably be a guide as to the 
 class of preventive measures needed whether stirring 
 the soil, sticky-banding the lower part of the trees, or 
 cleaning the rough bark and dressing it so as to kill 
 vermin in crannies. 
 
 In England it has been found a good way of getting 
 rid of the Hop Froghopper, the Euacanthus interruptus 
 (which is also one of the Cercopidcs, and sometimes very 
 mischievous on hops), to place a light metal tray or 
 piece of iron with a rim three inches high, well smeared 
 with wet tar close to the infested bines, one on each 
 side ; and on the bines being shaken, the Hoppers, 
 taking their great jumps in all directions, simply fell 
 into the tar, and thus a deal both of present and future 
 mischief was got rid of. Where infested fruit trees are 
 not of any great size, the plan of shaking or jarring, 
 so as to make the Hoppers leap on to cloths, or any- 
 thing below, smeared with wet tar, or with soft soap and 
 paraffin, or with anything that would poison or catch 
 the insects, would be likely to act well. E. A. 0. 
 
 ' Fourth Keport on Injurious Insects of the State of New York,' by 
 Dr. J. A. Lintner, State Entomologist. Albany, 1888.
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 
 
 69 
 
 FAM. COCCID^E. 
 ICERYA PURCHASI, Mask. (Fig. 27.) 
 
 Icerya purchasi, Maskell, Trans. Proc. N. Zealand Inst. 
 xi. p. 221, t. 8, f. 20, 21. 
 
 PIG. 27. Icerya Purchasi (female), much magnified; group, magnified 
 S. African ; group on twig and leaf, rather less than life-size 
 N. American (after fig. by Mrs. Comstock). 
 
 The first edition of this paper was published in 1887, 
 as a separate pamphlet, under the title of the ' Australian 
 Bug of South Africa,' but this has now been entirely 
 issued, save one or two copies in the hands of the writer. 
 Therefore I reprint it now in somewhat abridged form, 
 excepting ivith regard to the applications which have been 
 found of use in destroying the pest. These are repeated, 
 as the serviceableness of soft soap application, as one of tit e 
 best insecticides in this case, has since been confirmed, botli 
 in S. Africa and by a vast series of experiments in the 
 United States of America.
 
 70 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 For practical ivork (for which this notice is intended) it 
 is hoped that the many figures, and the general desertion 
 of the female from the S. African specimens tchich were 
 kindly identified for me as of the Icerya purchasi (Mask.), 
 by M. Signoret, Paris, will be sufficient : those who desire 
 full description will find it in the ivorks referred to 
 below.* 
 
 "Australian Bug." Cottony Cushion Scale. 
 
 The soft, cushiony, white-ribbed Scale insects, com- 
 monly known as the Australian Bug (the Cottony Cushion 
 Scale of North America), rank amongst the most 
 destructive of the insect pests hurtful to trees and 
 shrubs in S. Africa, although little more than fifteen 
 years have elapsed since this pest was first observed in 
 the Colony. 
 
 Prof. Eoland Trimen, F.E.S., Curator of the South 
 African Museum, mentions, in his Eeport of 1877, that 
 he first saw the Australian Bug in the Botanic Garden 
 at Cape Town in the latter half of 1873, and " the 
 insect gradually extended its range into all the suburbs 
 of the town." 
 
 In 1877 the " Bug " had spread to such an extent, in 
 all parts of the Eastern Province of Cape Colony, as to 
 give rise to an application, from horticulturists and 
 others, to Prof. Trimen for information as to the nature 
 and habits of the new pest, in reply to which request 
 the Eeport above referred to was prepared.! Local laws 
 and regulations were drawn up with a view to stopping 
 the onward spread of this destructive attack, but without 
 the desired success, for in March, 1887, Mr. S. D. 
 
 * Eeport of Prof. C. V. Riley, Entomologist of the Department of Agri- 
 culture, U. S. A., for 1886, pub. 1887, Washington (see, for I. purchasi, 
 pp. 466 492, and plates). ' Insects noxious to Agriculture, &c., in New 
 Zealand. The Scale Insects Coccididce,' 1887, by W. M. Maskell, F.B.M.S., 
 Wellington, N.Z. 
 
 f- See Beport by Mr. Koland Trimen, Curator of the S. African Mus., on 
 the insect of the family Coccidffi, commonly known as the " Australian 
 Bug." Government notice (Blue Book), No. 113, 1877.
 
 ICEBYA PUBCHASI. 71 
 
 Bairstow, of Port Elizabeth, President of the East 
 Province Naturalists' Society, wrote me: "The 
 Australian Bug seems to be extending operations in 
 Bloemfontein and higher up country." This observation, 
 together with the foregoing, shows a spread over a length 
 of 680 miles that is, from Cape Town to Bloemfontein 
 during the fourteen years which then had passed since 
 first observation of the pest in the Colony, and a glance 
 at the map of South Africa will show the vast extent of 
 area of the Eastern division in which the pest had then 
 naturalised itself. Where it came from does not appear 
 to be proved, but there does not appear room for doubt 
 that the attack was set on foot by imported specimens, 
 and that it rapidly became naturalised. 
 
 The Bug appears to attack such a great variety of 
 trees, bushes, &c., that it may be well described as a 
 general pest. Oranges, or plants of the Citrus tribe, 
 are especially infested by it. Vine and fig are also 
 mentioned specially as injured by it, and more generally 
 deciduous fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, and garden 
 plants, the list ranging down to strawberry plants. 
 
 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 FIG. 28. Cluster of female Bugs, photographed from life at Adelaide, 
 South Australia, by Frazer S. Crawford, Esq. 
 
 The figs, given at p. 69 and above, from S. African, 
 S. Australian, and N. American specimens, show the 
 similarity of the appearance of the infested twigs in 
 different countries. These show the female scales in
 
 72 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 the groups in which they are to be found on twigs or 
 leafage. 
 
 The adult females which were sent me from Port 
 Elizabeth, with the white-striped egg-bag attached, were 
 about a quarter of an inch long, and of the shape 
 figured magnified on the left hand of figure on p. 69, 
 that is, somewhat tortoise-shaped, and arched up from 
 each side and each end. The hinder part of the true 
 abdomen of the " Bug " is hidden by the fore part of 
 the egg-bag, and is tilted up by the vast number of eggs 
 which gradually accumulate beneath. The colour of the 
 insect is of some shade of orange or salmon, for the 
 most part covered on the upper side, and partially on 
 the under side, by a whitish mealy-looking coat. When 
 magnified this appearance is shown to be formed of 
 little rough patches of a white cotton-like or waxy 
 secretion, which are largest and thickest towards the 
 fore part of the insect, and are mixed with a sprinkling 
 of black hairs. These hairs are set much more thickly 
 at the edges, and form almost a fringe at the hinder 
 part, to which the white longitudinally striped egg-bag is 
 
 FIG. 29. Female of Icerya purchasi ; under side and antenna (much 
 magnified.) 
 
 Whether this sac is easily separable when fresh I do 
 not know, but, after soaking some time in spirits of 
 wine, I found it could be easily detached, and the insect 
 attached was found to be a soft, thick, fleshy, oval mass, 
 the place of the thorax or fore body being shown above
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 
 
 73 
 
 by three slightly raised, convex, transverse ridges, each 
 bearing a slight knob or elevation in the middle. The 
 fore edge of the insect is thickened and slightly scalloped, 
 and with a few ridges running from the edge to the 
 foremost ridge. Beneath it is furnished with three pairs 
 of legs, a pair of horns or antennae (see fig. 29), and a 
 sucker placed between the two foremost pairs of legs 
 {all black or pitchy). The antennae or horns did not 
 appear to me to be of more than ten joints, of the same 
 width throughout, excepting the lowest joint, which is 
 
 SDB. 
 
 AUSTBAIIAN BUG. 
 
 FIG. 30. Egg mag., larvse mag. and nat. size ; back of one larva 
 showing cottony patches.* After figs, by S. D. Bairstow. 
 
 somewhat wider than the others : it was not clear 
 whether the apparently long joint immediately succeeding 
 was of two joints, or of one slightly marked across in 
 the centre ; but as the specimens examined had been 
 
 * Accompanying Mr. Bairstow's sketches of the larva were notes of 
 his daily, or almost daily, observations of the early history of the " Bug " 
 from hatching onwards, during a period of two months, extending 
 from the latter part of January to the end of March, the main points 
 of which I have already published in my pamphlet on Icerya purcliasi.
 
 74 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 long in spirit, I have no doubt that they were really 
 eleven, jointed like those described by MM. Signoret, 
 Maskell, Comstock, and other observers. 
 
 The egg-sac is white, formed of minute threads 
 exuded by the insect, and is striped from the line of its 
 attachment to the body, to the hinder extremity or sides, 
 by about fifteen parallel, round-topped ridges, having 
 deep hollows between. In the case of some of the sacs 
 which I examined, the central longitudinal ridge was 
 narrowest, even to being half the width only of the 
 others. 
 
 The general appearance of the female is well described 
 by the name of " Cottony Cushion Scale," used in 
 California, or also the name of " Eibbed Scale." Within 
 the sac lie a multitude of oval salmon-coloured eggs, as 
 many, it is stated, as from 200 upwards. 
 
 In Prof. Trimen's Eeport he states that the young 
 hatch gradually from the eggs deposited in the cottony 
 nidus, but appear only to leave it by degrees, till at 
 length all have departed, and the empty skin of the dead 
 mother alone remains behind. 
 
 Mr. Bairstow also remarked on this head : " The 
 Bugs do not all hatch at once. I do not remark any 
 sudden exit or uniformity and spontaneousness in 
 clearance. Several days are occupied in effecting a 
 total riddance from the oviparous mother." And he 
 further observed of the young Bugs, that "when hatched 
 and emerging from the maternal nidus the spider-like 
 insects are extremely active for about thirty-six hours ; 
 then they choose a spot for settlement and remain 
 stationary." 
 
 The two figures of larvae are taken from a series of 
 slight pen-and-ink sketches made from life by Mr. 
 Bairstow to illustrate the changes of appearance of the 
 specimens under observation, the first showing the 
 general appearance in an early stage of development, 
 the second showing the patchy appearance of the fine 
 growth of the flocculent covering. 
 
 From my own examination of the larva in the first
 
 ICEEYA PURCmsi. 75 
 
 stage (figured p. 73), as seen after being in a preservative 
 fluid for some time, it was of a reddish tint, with black 
 legs and antennae and black eyes, and was furnished at 
 the tip of the abdomen with six long fine hairs. The 
 horns at this stage appear to me to be formed of five 
 joints and a club. The lowest joint broad and short, 
 about half the length and twice the width of the 
 succeeding joint, and broadest at the farthest end from 
 the head ; the following four joints are almost cylindrical, 
 the second of these being longer than the first and 
 slightly contracted at the centre : a very few long scat- 
 tered hairs were observable on the joints of the horns. 
 
 Prof. Trimen notes that when the Bug has reached 
 about one-sixth of an inch in length it begins to secrete 
 the snow-white, waxy, but cotton-like, matter, which 
 presently forms a nest beneath the mother insect for the 
 salmon-coloured eggs. " For some time after the white 
 secretion " has begun to grow the Dorthesia remains 
 tolerably active, continuing to move about, and change 
 its feeding-ground on " the plant; but gradually, as the 
 ova develop and the cottony secretion proportionately 
 enlarges, its power of motion seems to decrease, and at 
 length it remains firmly anchored to one spot by its 
 sucker " ; and as time goes on the newly-hatched young 
 are to be found, which leave the cottony nest beneath the 
 dead mother, and, being gifted with much greater powers 
 of locomotion at this stage than later on, seek actively 
 for a suitable place where they may settle down to feed 
 (see Prof. Trimen's Eeport). 
 
 The observations of Mr. Bairstow and Prof. Trimen, 
 above quoted, taken together, give a large part of the 
 life-history that is needed for practical service. We 
 have observations of the eggs hatching in the white 
 deposit, and the little Buglets coming out and spreading 
 actively from under the dead skin of the mother Bug ; 
 also of this activity continuing more or less from about 
 the beginning of February until at least the 21st of 
 March : we have further the observations of the white 
 secretion under the Bug beginning when it is about the
 
 76 
 
 AUSTKALIAN BUG. 
 
 sixth of an inch long : and also we have observations 
 of the gradually settling down into stationary condition 
 
 
 ICEBYA PURCHASI. (S. Australia.) 
 FIG. 31. Larva, enormously magnified; nat. size about l-16th in.
 
 ICEBYA PURCHASI. 
 
 77 
 
 of the female Bug, as the amount of white waxy deposit 
 increases until she becomes a mere dead husk covering 
 
 FIG. 32. Icerya purchasi (S. Australia). Adult female with egg-bag, 
 greatly magnified. 
 
 the eggs and hatching young. The whole process 
 extends over many weeks, and gives ample opportunity 
 for immense damage to be caused by the bugs. 
 
 Whilst my previous notice of Australian Bug was 
 passing through press I was favoured by Mr. Frazer S.
 
 78 AUSTKALIAN BUG. 
 
 Crawford,* of Adelaide, S. Australia, who for some years 
 has devoted special attention to the habits of this pest, 
 with the two preceding sketches, giving very greatly 
 magnified representations of the larva and adult 
 female of the I. purchasi from photographs taken by 
 himself. 
 
 Mr. Crawford's figure (see page 77) is of especial 
 interest, from showing the striated nature of the egg- 
 sac, and the long glassy filaments, which are character- 
 istic distinctions of the adult female of I. purchasi. 
 
 I am not aware whether up to the present date the 
 male insect has been observed with identification in 
 S. Africa, and therefore I subjoin a description abridged 
 from that given by Prof. Eiley, and taken by him from 
 numerous specimens, both mounted and living, of the 
 Icerya purchasi Maskell, and likewise a copy of Prof. 
 Eiley's figure.f 
 
 FIG. 33. Icerya purchasi, male insect, nat. size and magnified. 
 
 Prof. Kiley states that " the adult male is a trifle over 
 
 * Government Inspector under the Vine, Fruit, and Vegetables Pro- 
 tection Act, and Lecturer on Economic Entomology, &c. 
 
 t For above see paper, noted p. 70, on I. purchasi, by Prof. Biley, in his 
 Report as U. S. Entomologist, published by the Commissioner of Agri- 
 culture of the United States of America, and figure of the male insect 
 in the plates of illustration to the same ; and further, I must add that, 
 once again in this re-publication of my pamphlet, I desire to offer my 
 thanks to Prof. Biley for his kind courtesy in permitting me to see his 
 proof-sheets before publication and to benefit by the above observation. 
 Those who desire to study the subject in extenso cannot do better than 
 avail themselves of the immense amount of practical and scientific 
 information embodied in his paper above quoted.
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 79 
 
 3 mm. in length " [that is, over the eighth of an English 
 inch in length E. A. 0.], " and has an average wing- 
 expanse of 7*5 mm. The general colour is orange-red." 
 The thorax is much marked with black ; some of the 
 spiracles are black also. " The legs are also nearly 
 black, and quite thickly furnished with short hairs. The 
 wings are smoky black, and are covered with rounded 
 wavy elevations, making a reticulate surface. The costa 
 is thick and brown above the subcostal vein, which 
 reaches costa at a trifle more than four-fifths the length 
 of the wing. The only other vein (the median) is given 
 oif at about one-sixth of the length of the wing, and 
 extends out into the disk a little more than one-half the 
 wing-length. There are in addition two white lines, one 
 extending" ... to the tip of the wing, the other 
 curving to a point some distance below the tip. " The 
 abdomen is slightly hairy, . . . and is furnished at tip 
 with two strong projections, each of which bears at 
 tip four long hairs and a few shorter ones. When the 
 insect is at rest the wings lie flat on the back." The 
 head above is triangular ; the antennas are light brown 
 in colour, and are composed of ten joints, of which the 
 first is almost globular, the second somewhat longer, 
 and the third nearly twice as long as the first, and the 
 remaining seven joints are of about the same length 
 as the third, "and grow successively a little more 
 slender. 1 ' 
 
 MEASURES OF PREVENTION AND EEMEDY. 
 
 The following observations and recipes are given as 
 not only referring to applications for destruction of 
 Australian Bug, but for reference with regard to many 
 other insect attacks which may be much checked by 
 soft-soap washes : 
 
 Washes. 
 
 Looking at the impossibility of clearing more than a 
 very small proportion of the pest by hand-picking (as
 
 80 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 obviously much of it is out of reach, and likewise that 
 most of it which may be in reach, excepting the large 
 females, is too small to be hand-picked) ; also, looking 
 at the great difficulty, in the case of partially clearing 
 trees by shaking off the pest, of making sure that a 
 quantity does not remain on the ground to creep up the 
 trees again, it would appear that what is required is 
 some mixture to destroy the pest on the infested tree. 
 Something is needed 1st, which will not hurt the tree 
 or plant ; 2nd, which will hurt the "Bug," or render it 
 harmless to us whatever stage it may be in ; and 3rd, 
 this mixture needs to be something that can be applied 
 effectually with reasonable ease and at small cost. In 
 the early days of attack soft-soap wash is alluded to as 
 a thing found useful in one locality ; since then its 
 eerviceableness has been brought forward elsewhere in 
 Cape Colony, and most strongly as of use in California, 
 and looking at the great success of soft-soap washes now 
 used on such a large scale for destroying Aphides (no 
 distant relations of these " Bugs ") in England, it 
 appears well worth while to give one or two of the 
 recipes for keeping down the pest in California ; and 
 likewise some of the methods of preparing the mixtures 
 of soft-soap and mineral oil for safe and convenient 
 use, which have been worked out since Prof. Trimen 
 suggested something of this nature might probably be 
 of use. 
 
 If a minute's thought is given to the subject it will be 
 seen that the soft- or whale-oil soap cannot fail to be 
 beneficial by sticking on the surface of the Bugs, and 
 choking their breathing-pores, and likewise by soaking 
 under the egg-bags of the females and destroying both 
 the young which are on the point of escaping, as well 
 as those which are exposed outside. It would also be to 
 a certain extent a preventive to the infestation being 
 blown about the country by the wind, a matter which 
 Mr. Bairstow especially notes as one method of 
 spread. 
 One of the remedies recommended by Mr. Matthew
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 81 
 
 Cooke for destruction of this scale-insect in California* 
 is a wash of whale-oil, or soft-soap, sulphur, and 
 tobacco, in the proportion of one pound of the soap 
 to a third of a pound of sulphur, the sulphur to be 
 boiled in water for ten or fifteen minutes, and the soap 
 then added, and to each gallon of this mixture one 
 gallon of tobacco water to be added of the strength noted 
 below, t The mixture to be applied at a temperature of 
 130 Fahr. 
 
 In the above mixture no mention is made regarding 
 method of dissolving the sulphur, and the following 
 recipe for a soft-soap wash with the sulphur in solution 
 might prove serviceable: In order to make sulphur 
 combine with whatever liquid may be used, the sulphur 
 should be boiled with an alkali, and the recipe has been 
 recommended : One pound of flour of sulphur and two 
 pounds of fresh lime boiled together in four gallons of 
 water : or, to save the trouble of boiling, sulphuret of 
 lime may be purchased and used thus : of this sulphuret 
 take four ounces, soft-soap two ounces, to each gallon 
 of hot water ; the soap and sulphuret to be well mixed 
 before the addition of the water, which is to be gradually 
 poured on, the mixture being stirred during the time, 
 when a uniform fluid will be obtained without sediment, 
 which may be used when cool enough to bear the hand, 
 and has been found to destroy insect pests effectually 
 and quickly. This may be used as a syringing," or a dip 
 for infested shoots, or well rubbed with a brush into 
 infested bark. The mixture, like other soft-soap washes, 
 may be thrown when requisite to a height of several 
 yards by large garden-engines, such as are used in 
 Hop-fields in England. If it is needed higher, and 
 water and apparatus are attainable, trees of even 
 considerable height may be " washed" by the help of a 
 
 * See 'Injurious Insects of the Orchard,' &c., by Matthew Cooke (late 
 Chief Executive Horticultural Officer of California i, pp. 165167, wi;h 
 account of " Cottony Cushion Scale," and references to recipes for 
 applications to destroy the scale, in same work. 
 
 t Boil 30 pounds of tobacco leaves in 30 gallons of water. 
 
 G
 
 82 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 fire-engine. I have had this done in England under 
 special circumstances, with great success. 
 
 The following note by Mr. W. Or. Klee, State Inspector 
 of Fruit Pests in California, regards application of 
 various forms of soft-soap wash for the extermination 
 of the Australian Bug, or "Cottony Cushion Scale," as 
 it is well named in California, on small evergreen trees, 
 or on deciduous trees when out of leaf or lopped back 
 to the main trunk or branches. [It will be observed that 
 the ingredients of the wash that are given in full detail 
 are especially directed to be boiled. Probably much 
 danger and damage would be spared if attention was 
 always directed to the point that soft-soap washes should 
 be raised to boiling-point in the process of mixing. ED.] 
 Mr. Klee states : " For all deciduous trees ... we 
 recommend one-fourth of a pound of concentrated lye, 
 one-fourth of a pound of whale-oil soap, to one gallon 
 of water. Before treating the tree, cut off the tops down 
 to the main branches and burn them. 
 
 " For evergreens the summer wash recommended last 
 summer is useful, and will not hurt healthy foliage : 
 dissolve 30 pounds whale-oil soap (80 per cent, soap at 
 the most costing 5 cents per pound) in 60 gallons of 
 water by heating the whole thoroughly. Boil 3 pounds 
 of lye (American concentrated lye is what we have used) 
 with 6 pounds of sulphur and a couple of gallons of 
 water. When thoroughly dissolved it is a dark brown 
 liquid (chemically sulphide of soda). Mix the two, 
 the soap and the sulphide of soda, well, and allow 
 them to boil for about half an hour ; then add about 
 90 gallons of water to the mixture, and it is ready for 
 use. 
 
 " Apply it warm, at about 130 Fahr., by means of a 
 spray-pump. Used warm its effect is better, and less 
 material is required than when cold. It must, however, 
 be remembered that the minute scales are especially 
 numerous on the under side of leaves. This fact makes 
 the extermination on a large tree in full foliage almost 
 impossible. Only small trees may be successfully treated
 
 ICERYA PUBCfiASI. 83 
 
 in this way. Large trees must be either deprived of their 
 foliage or cut down to a few limbs. 
 
 " Neither of these methods can be safely applied on 
 tender trees during a season when sharp frost may be 
 looked for. A spraying should, however, be done, as it 
 will check their spread most effectually. 
 
 " Too great pains cannot be taken in removing infested 
 limbs,* as the insect spreads often in this way. A canvas 
 should be spread under the trees so that none of the insects 
 can escape. When the tree has been treated spread hot 
 ashes around its base, and apply tight-fitting bands 
 smeared with a greasy substance around the trunk to 
 prevent any insects reascending." W. G. KLEE, Inspector 
 of Fruit Trees.! 
 
 Washes of Soft-soap in combination with Petroleum, 
 Paraffin, or other Mineral Oils. 
 
 In the Eeport on Australian Bug, prepared by Prof. 
 E. Trimen, he mentions that "it might be worth while 
 to try one of the antidotes used against the Phi/lloxera in 
 France, viz., petroleum and water," &c. ; and since the 
 date of the Eeport the serviceableness of mineral oils as 
 insecticides, when so combined with soft-soap and water 
 that they may be diluted further as may be needed for 
 use without risk of the oil and water separating again, has 
 been strongly brought forward under the direction of 
 the Department of Agriculture of the United States, and 
 reported on at length by Prof. Eiley. 
 
 The U. S. A. plan is to add one gallon of water, in 
 which a quarter of a pound of soft-soap (or any other 
 coarse soap preferred) has been well dissolved, boiling or 
 hot, to two gallons of petroleum or other mineral oil. 
 
 * The point of spread of the pest being likely to be encouraged, rather 
 than checked, by infested boughs being removed without due care as to 
 what becomes of the dislodged and shaken- off insects, is so important 
 that I have given it in italics. ED. 
 
 t Bulletin No. 4 of State Board of Horticulture of California. Winter 
 washes recommended by the State Inspector of Fruit Pests. Sacramento, 
 State Office, 1887.
 
 84 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 The mixture is then churned, as it were, together by 
 means of a spray-nozzled syringe, or double-action pump, 
 for ten minutes, by means of which the oil, soap, and 
 water are so thoroughly combined that the mixture settles 
 down into a cream-like consistency, and does not, if the 
 operation has been properly performed, separate again. 
 This is used diluted with some three or four times its 
 bulk of water for a watering ; if required for a wash, at 
 least nine times its bulk is needed, that is, three gallons 
 of "Emulsion," as it is termed, make thirty gallons of 
 wash. Warning is given that care must be taken with 
 each new crop to ascertain the strength that can be 
 borne by the leafage : this of course varies with the age 
 of the leaves, as well as the nature of the crop. 
 
 In my own experiments with this mixture I increased 
 the quantity of soft-soap, and for Hop-plants I should 
 consider it would be desirable to double the proportion of 
 soft-soap and lessen that of the paraffin to at least a sixth. 
 
 An addition of some amount of paraffin to soft-soap 
 wash has been shown to be serviceable by the experiments 
 of Mr. Ward at Stoke Edith in 1883 and the following 
 season. The proportions used by him for large quantities 
 are 12 pounds of soft-soap and half a gallon of paraffin 
 to 100 gallons of hot water, the mixture stirred well 
 together and used when cool ; the nearer boiling that 
 the water is used the better the paraffin mixes. This 
 wash is found to be very effective in killing the Aphides 
 without injuring the plant or the burr. 
 
 For low shrubs or plants to which application could 
 be made by means of a watering-can, the mixture of 
 which the details of preparation and convenient method 
 of storing are given as follows, would probably be found 
 serviceable : 
 
 " To eight parts of soft water add one part of black 
 (soft) soap, and boil briskly for a few minutes until the 
 soap is thoroughly dissolved. While boiling add paraffin, 
 or any similar mineral oil, and boil for a minute or two 
 longer, when the whole will be thoroughly amalgamated,* 
 
 * For field use the immediate application would save all need of
 
 ICEEYA PUBCHASI. 85 
 
 and, if bottled and securely corked while warm, it will 
 remain so, and be fit for use at any time when required. 
 The strength of the solution of course depends on the 
 amount of mineral oil in it, and it can be easily reduced 
 to the proper power by mixing it with soft water as it is 
 wanted for use." 
 
 Mr. Malcolm Dunn gave me the following notes as to 
 the method he found most convenient for mixing the 
 application : " In practice I boil the proper proportions 
 of soap and water together, and when ready I fill this into 
 ordinary wine-bottles, which have been placed in boiling 
 water. The bottles are about half-filled with the lye, and 
 then the paraffin is poured into them, tivo gills being put 
 into each bottle. The bottles are then filled up with the 
 boiling lye, corked at once, and stored away for use. 
 
 " When required for use a bottle of the mixture is 
 poured into a four-gallon watering-pot, which is filled up 
 with soft water, and is ready for use, at a strength of 
 one wine-glass of paraffin (half a gill) to one gallon of 
 water." 
 
 Mr. Dunn further notes that the important point is the 
 proportion of the soap and water : "Eight parts water 
 and one part soft-soap thoroughly amalgamated form the 
 lye which takes mineral oil, and thoroughly amalgamates 
 with whatever proportion of this may be added, that is 
 to say, the paraffin may be put into the boiling soap and 
 water in any quantity, and the whole will mix together 
 of an equal strength throughout. Heat helps much in 
 quickly producing thorough amalgamation of all the 
 ingredients, and hence I have stated that they should be 
 mixed in a boiling state. 
 
 " Few plants in a green state will stand a strength of 
 four wine-glasses (two gills) to the gallon, but at the same 
 time it is not necessary to use it so strong for even Scale- 
 insects, the most difficult to kill of all ordinary plant- 
 pests. 
 
 storing. For garden use the arrangement of bottling saves much risk 
 from careless workers, as the exact amount to be used can be given out.
 
 bb AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 " One wine-glass full of paraffin to a gallon of water is 
 strong enough to kill Aphides, and such soft insects ; two 
 wine-glasses for Thrips, and three wine-glasses for Scale 
 is our ' regulation' strength. The tender young fronds 
 of ferns and the young green growths of most plants will 
 not be safe if over one wine-glass to the gallon is used.'" * 
 
 The following note regarding spread of Australian Bug 
 during the year 1886, and means considered to be useful 
 in checking its increase, was forwarded me by favour of 
 Mr. F. von Schade, of Wynberg : " The Australian Bug 
 (Dorthesia) has made its appearance in the village of 
 Oudtshoorn, and we advise the property-holders to exert 
 much vigilance in exterminating it at -once. Putrid 
 blood has proved a good exterminator of the Bug. The 
 stems and branches of trees must be painted with the 
 blood, the smell of which attracts numerous insects 
 which devour the Bug. Ostrich droppings boiled in 
 water and the solution syringed on the higher branches 
 of trees has also been found very effective. Then there 
 is the solution made of tobacco and whale-soap for 
 washing and syringing." ' Wynberg Times,' July 31st, 
 1886. 
 
 [If the blood could be applied to the stems and 
 branches of the trees as a painting, there would not be 
 difficulty in applying a good painting or scrubbing with a 
 thick soft-soap solution, which would probably have an 
 excellent effect. ED.] 
 
 In regard to methods of application one great difficulty 
 is how to throw the fluids high enough to reach the 
 upper boughs and foliage of moderate-sized trees. Of 
 this Prof. Comstock says that the difficulty is best met 
 by using some kind of force-pump, by which mixtures 
 can be sprayed on the infested plants. The pump he 
 recommends is formed of two brass tubes, one working 
 telescopically within the other ; a hose is fastened to one 
 
 * ' Eighth Keport of Observations of Injurious Insects,' 1834, published 
 1885. By E. A. Ormerod. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., London, England.
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 87 
 
 end, and a rose can be attached to the other ; an arrange- 
 ment of valves allows water to pass into the pump 
 through the hose, but will not allow it to return. Thus, 
 when the smaller tube is pulled out the pump is filled to 
 its greatest capacity ; by pushing this tube back the 
 water can be ejected with considerable force through the 
 rose in a fine spray. By using a nozzle with a single 
 opening a stream can be thrown to a greater distance. 
 In this way the topmost leaves of any orchard tree can 
 be reached. In applying liquids on a large scale, as 
 upon extensive orchards, the work can be done rapidly 
 by placing the mixture in a barrel upon a waggon, and 
 pumping directly from this barrel. It is noted that 
 from the great difficulty of wetting every part of the 
 tree by a single application, that probably several will 
 be necessary.* 
 
 Destruction by Hand-pickinr/ and shaking down the Bug 
 from infested Trees. 
 
 Prof. Trirnen states that he regards it as of " the first 
 importance to destroy all the larger specimens, for from 
 these legions of young are perpetually proceeding, and 
 the effectual destruction of a single gravid female means 
 that of at least 150 or 200 young ones." He mentions 
 that he has found " that the larger specimens may often 
 be detached by shaking a plant, or, in the case of trees, 
 striking the branches smartly with a stick. When this 
 is done a cloth, or sheets of paper, should be spread 
 under the shaken or beaten branches to catch the insects 
 as they drop, otherwise some of them will break on 
 striking the ground and the eggs or young escape." He 
 further advises, in the same Report, "that all the insects 
 collected together should be burnt forthwith, as they 
 resist immersion in water for a long time, and the eggs 
 or minute young in the mass of white secretion are 
 unaffected by it. Crushing the old ones is also only 
 
 * ' Report of the Entomologist of the United States Department of 
 Agriculture for the year 1880,' By H. Comstock. Washington, 1881.
 
 88 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 partly effectual, many of the enclosed young escaping 
 the pressure unhurt."* 
 
 Mr. S. D. Bairstow also draws attention to the benefit 
 of destroying the female, and the ease with which the 
 young may be shaken from the trees. 
 
 As these young Bugs are so active and fall off so readily 
 it would appear very desirable, where boughs have been 
 lopped or infested trees felled, that these boughs or trees 
 should be burnt (or charred on the surface) at once, and 
 on the spot, or else, as is pointed out in the Eeport of the 
 Inspector of Fruit Trees in California, published in the 
 year 1887, the removal of the boughs may in itself be 
 a means of spreading the pest. 
 
 Tarred bands, or bands of any sticky composition, 
 smeared round the lower part of the stems of fruit or 
 timber trees, would effectually stop traffic of the " Bug" 
 up the trunks so long as the bands remained moist and 
 sticky ; but, if the thing be possible, some more secure 
 method of gathering the fallen, active, young Bugs, or 
 preventing their ranging off to some of the low-growing 
 plants near, than what has been named seems needed. 
 
 In U. S. A. practice the plan of beating injurious 
 insects down on to cloths treated with some fluid or 
 mixture which will temporarily paralyse the grubs or 
 insects as they fall on to it, or possibly kill them out- 
 right, has been recommended, and in the present case it 
 appears quite admisssible that the cloths recommended 
 to be placed under the trees to be beaten should be so 
 prepared beforehand. There are many mixtures of 
 petroleum or other mineral oils which would probably 
 answer the purposes. The fact of the oil soon separating 
 from water would not matter in this case, and the cloths 
 might be dipped in a mere mixture of the petroleum and 
 water, and used wet, or they might be drenched over 
 (when laid down) with soft-soap and petroleum wash, 
 which would presumably prevent any of these little 
 creatures straying away ; or a good swilling on to the 
 
 * ' Report on Australian Bug,' by Prof. R. Trimen, previously quoted.
 
 ICEBYA PURCHASI. 
 
 89 
 
 ground of soft-soap wash would be a great preventive of 
 wandering. 
 
 In England, for prevention of wandering from a given 
 point, it is sometimes found useful to circumscribe a 
 small area with a line of wet tar, and where there were 
 only the droppings from a few trees or the infestation in 
 a limited spot to be temporarily dealt with, it might save 
 all trouble to run a little furrow (just to save waste in 
 application), and to pour some tar along it, renewing it 
 for a day or two if necessary ; but in whatever way it is 
 managed, it is obvious, from the remark of the Inspector 
 of Fruit Pests of California, quoted at p. 83, that the 
 point of the spread of the attack from the pest being 
 dispersed in removing the infected trees requires much 
 consideration. 
 
 On Aug. 21st, 1886, Mr. Bairstow wrote: "I notice 
 that the large female attacks the black-wood roots most 
 fiercely in the winter time. Just now " [winter in Cape 
 Colony ED.] "in St. George's Park the ground in some 
 parts is simply alive snowy with them." At this 
 period a little care and attention must prove amazingly 
 beneficial. 
 
 How far mechanical measures can be brought to bear 
 on such a state of things as that above described can 
 only be certainly known by trial, but it occurs whether 
 something might not be done towards gathering a large 
 amount of the pests off the grass by running a machine 
 over it, made on the principle of a lawn-mowing machine, 
 with brushes instead of cutters. It would on the face 
 of the thing appear likely that, by a little arrangement 
 to allow of the brushes just catching on the edge of the 
 box, so as to free themselves of the Bugs sticking on to 
 them, much might be cleared from the ground and 
 swept up into the box and destroyed. If all other 
 measures failed, good hearty sweeping of the grass with 
 brooms or brushes frequently dipped in soft-soap solution 
 would clear an appreciable amount, and would at least 
 be better than leaving the creatures to be dispersed as 
 chance might cause. 
 When the trees, or groves of trees, are infested, it is
 
 90 AUBTKALIAN BUG. 
 
 manifest that it is only by the most wholesale or broad 
 scale measures that anything can be done to check 
 attack, but (looking at the great variety of plants men- 
 tioned as liable to be infested by this pest from the 
 quantities creeping in the grass upwards) it is very plain 
 that there is no hope of stopping the spread of the pest 
 by the destruction of only a portion of its haunts, such 
 as fruit or timber trees, and that general measures are 
 greatly needed, and a careful watch to prevent attack 
 getting' hold. 
 
 Amongst these the danger of transmission should in 
 every way be guarded against ; the processes of removal 
 of parts of trees which have been felled to get rid of 
 the Bug cannot be too often pointed out, as being 
 exceedingly likely to cause carriage also of the pest, 
 and likewise all plants received from doubtful localities 
 should be carefully investigated ; and no one with any 
 thought for the welfare of his neighbours should allow 
 the smallest plant with the " Bug " on it to be carried 
 from his grounds. 
 
 But with regard to applications that maybe serviceable 
 for use against the Australian Bug (the Cottony Cushion- 
 Scale of North America), it would be equally pre- 
 sumptuous and unnecessary at this date to offer any 
 special suggestions on this subject, as in the Eeport of 
 the Commissioner of Agriculture of the United States, 
 before mentioned, it will be found in the observations 
 tendered by Prof. Riley, from Mr. D. W. Coquiilett, and 
 likewise from Mr. Albert Koebele, of Alameda, California, 
 that these points are minutely dealt with. 
 
 In these observations are given as to effects, good or 
 bad, of caustic potash and caustic soda, hard soap, soft 
 soap, kerosene emulsions, tobacco, tobacco-soap, sheep- 
 dip, vinegar and Paris-green, bisulphide of carbon, resin- 
 soap, whale-oil, &c. ; and, besides methods of and 
 appliances for throwing the washes, and methods of 
 mixing or preparing the same, notes are given of little 
 less than 153 experiments tried by Mr. Albert Koebele, 
 with mention of material used, proportion of water 
 added, and the results of the application.
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 91 
 
 MEANS OF PREVENTION OF INCREASE. 
 Insect Enemies. 
 
 The carnivorous larva or maggot of a species of 
 Chrysopa or Lace-winged Fly, or " Golden Eye," and 
 also the grubs of a Coccinellid or Ladybird, have been 
 observed by Mr. Bairstow to do much good by destroying 
 the young Australian Bugs, just at hatching time, within 
 the sac of the female. 
 
 Of these Mr. Bairstow says : " The Coccinella is by 
 far our best friend. It is proving a perfect god-send in 
 destroying the perfected young in nidus of the female 
 'Bug.' The larva buries itself in the gravid female 
 and completely destroys her progeny, the dead carcase 
 falling to the ground ; and it eats the ' Bug ' not only 
 when it is young, but when it (the Coccinella} has 
 developed to beetle condition. I have taken as many as 
 five or six young Bugs out of the inside of one of these 
 Coccinella or Ladybird Beetles. The changes from 
 grub to beetle are rapidly passed through, as with other 
 Coccmellidfe" 
 
 Its efficacy cannot be over-estimated, and an im- 
 portation of the Coccinella to infested regions would be 
 certain to be of service. S. D. B. 
 
 This species of South African Coccinellid is of the 
 size and shape figured, and may be generally described 
 as black, with a blood-red spot in the centre at the base 
 of the wing-cases, and clothed with thick short down 
 above ; the under side and legs reddish, and also downy. 
 
 As this "Ladybird" does not appear to have been pre- 
 viously described, I placed it in the hands of Mr. Oliver 
 E. Janson, of London, England, who 
 was good enough to examine it for 
 me ; and on it proving to be a species 
 as yet undescribed of the genus Rodolia n 
 
 Rodolia, it has appeared desirable to 
 mark it by a specific name pointing to its serviceable 
 habits of destruction of the Icerya as the Rodolia iceryce,
 
 92 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 Janson, n. sp. I append Mr. Janson's technical descrip- 
 tion,* and also give the following more general note of 
 appearance with which he favoured me : 
 
 " Of our English Coccinellida the Rodolia most 
 nearly resembles Chilocorus bipustulatus : it is about the 
 same size as the common Two-spot Ladybird (Coccinella 
 bipunctata), but is of a more convex and hemispherical 
 form ; the thorax is much shorter, and has the sides 
 narrow, rounded, and bent down ; the head is short, 
 vertical, and concealed beneath the thorax ; the legs are 
 short, and flattened with the tibiae angulated and grooved 
 for the reception of the tarsi ; it is black above, with a 
 peculiar dusty or powdered appearance produced by the 
 fine short grey pubescence with which it is covered, and 
 has a large, conspicuous blood-red spot in the centre at 
 the base of the elytra ; the underside and legs are pale 
 rusty red." 0. E. J. 
 
 A slight sketch of the maggot sent by Mr. Bairstow 
 showed it to have the somewhat elongate form common 
 to larvaa of this family, three pairs of claw-legs and jaws 
 (which it uses to good purposes), and that the sides of 
 the segments were furnished with pencils of hairs. 
 
 The figure of the pupa- or chrysalis-case represented 
 this stage as passed in the typical manner of this family, 
 namely, that after the larva has become full-grown it 
 
 * " Rodolia iceryee, n. sp. Almost hemispherical, a little longer than 
 broad, and slightly narrowed behind ; above very finely and closely 
 punctured, and rather densely clothed with fine grey pubescence ; shining 
 black, with a large semicircular blood-red spot at the base of the elytra, 
 enclosing the scutellum. Head flattened; inner margin of the eyes 
 straight ; antennae, palpi, and labrum, red. Thorax produced and 
 rounded posteriorly, truncate in front of the scutellum, strongly produced 
 and rounded at the sides, the lateral margin slightly reflexed, anterior 
 margin narrowly testaceous. Scutellum elongate-triangular, the apex 
 acute. Elytra impressed on each side of the scutellum, the humeral 
 callus very prominent, humeral angles somewhat produced anteriorly, 
 rounded, and slightly elevated. Under side and legs pale red, strongly 
 punctured, and with fine grey pubescence ; epipleurae strongly concave, 
 black ; tibite strongly emarginate for the reception of the tarsi, the outer 
 edge strongly but obtusely angulated and fringed with long grey hairs. 
 Length 45 millim." 'Notes on the Australian Bug in South Africa,' 
 p. 30.
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 
 
 93 
 
 fastens itself by the end of its tail to a leaf or some other 
 point of attachment, and then rolls off its maggot-skin 
 up to the end of the body, and waits thus affixed till the 
 pupal changes have been completed, and the Ladybird 
 emerges from the pupa or chrysalis. 
 
 Another of the enemies of the Australian Bug by 
 which the increase of this pest in S. Africa is materially 
 checked is a species of Chrysopa or " Golden Eye," one 
 of the HemeroUidce or " Lace-wings," a family of which 
 the grubs or larvae are sometimes known, from one large 
 item of their food, as Aphis Lions. Of these grubs Mr. 
 Bairstow says : " I do not wish it to be understood that 
 this singular larva preys solely upon Dorthesia " (Aus- 
 tralian Bug. E. A. 0.) But that the larva 
 
 FIG. 31. Chrysopa (?iceryce, n.sp.). Insect and larva, magnified, with 
 lines showing nat. size. (Sketch showing appearance of stalked eggs of 
 Hemeroltiidce. 
 
 decidedly prefers Dorthesia, if it can be obtained, I rest 
 assured, both from out-of-door observations and practical 
 experiments. As the insect appears to be as yet un- 
 described, I have suggested that the specific name of 
 icert/te should be bestowed on it (provisionally at least) 
 as well as on the Rodolia, with reference to the special 
 article of its food. In common with other species of the
 
 94 AUSTRALIAN BUG. 
 
 Hemerobiidce or Lace-wings the perfect insect flies in the 
 daytime, but is not readily disturbed when at rest. It is 
 short-lived." 
 
 " The imago is of the size and shape figured, with 
 four iridescent azure and pink tinted transparent wings, 
 brownish green body, and yellow head and thorax. Eyes 
 deep purple, with a rusty tinge, and encircled with red. 
 Antennae long and slender. Wing-expanse about seven- 
 eighths of an inch. Length of body about a quarter of 
 an inch." 
 
 The larva or grub is of the shape copied from Mr. 
 Bairstow's sketch (see figure, with the natural size 
 accompanying),, and of a dirty brown colour above, and 
 whitish below (for full description see note) ; and has the 
 remarkable habit, in common with others of its kind, of 
 piling a covering of scraps on its own back.* 
 
 Mr. Bairstow thus notes the method of operation of 
 the grub : "Travelling up and down a branch, he at 
 last approached a good fat specimen of Dorthesia, and 
 began dragging with his mandibles pieces of the woolly 
 nidus, which he carefully arranged, and, throwing his 
 head backward, steadily deposited the fragments on his 
 body until it was quite covered. This I found was after- 
 wards utilised in metamorphosis for a domicile to protect 
 it in chrysalis state, and, being coated inside with some 
 gummy secretion, made a hard exterior and capital 
 fortress ; but in wrenching away the white nest from the 
 female bug, he was demolishing the only protection for 
 
 * DESCRIPTION OF LARVA OF Chnjsopa (? iceryce, n.sp.). Length J inch. 
 Dirty brown on back, darkest where the woolly deposit is situated. 
 Beneath : semitransparent dirty grey, with deep brown divisional and 
 segmental markings. A longitudinal centre band forming grey irregularly- 
 shaped squares of varied dimensions centred on each, with dark brown 
 semitransparent spot and lateral marks of grey. Under prothorax and 
 thorax external organs are set off with a pale salmon-pink colour, very 
 variable in different specimens. Tarsal tips and anus black. The lateral 
 tubercles on each segment are setiferous and very conspicuous 1st, 2nd, 
 and 3rd being most prominent. First, dirty white, edged with black, and 
 setu- corresponding ; others dull white at base, and paler setii?. Ocelli 
 black, also longitudinal markings or lamina} reaching from near base of 
 mandibles to second pair of tubercles, black and conspicuous. Jaws about 
 one-sixth length of body ; palpi and antennae prominent. $. D. B.
 
 ICERYA PURCHASI. 95 
 
 the eggs and young buglets sheltered within. Having at 
 last pulled away enough to expose the residents, he 
 seized on them one by one, and, after sucking all vitality 
 out, flung away the empty skin." 
 
 For further observation ten or twelve of these "Aphis 
 Lions " were placed with six gravid female " Bugs," one 
 of which was opened by a cut across the white waxy 
 egg-nest, thus exposing the eggs and young within, which 
 were reckoned by Mr. Bairstow as amounting to as many 
 as five hundred, if all hatched. At the end of the first 
 day the whole collection in the opened female had been 
 destroyed by the voracious little Aphis Lions ; they then 
 attacked the other female Bugs, and at the end of five 
 days scarcely a bugling survived. 
 
 The observer further remarks that he has noticed 
 " SCORES of times " that well-developed females which he 
 saw on a branch on one afternoon would next morning 
 show only as broken egg-bags, empty and torn to shreds, 
 and, as they could not have all hatched and got away, it 
 appeared plain there was something at work "struggling 
 to assist in keeping a proper balance, and this, after 
 search, was found in the shape of a Hemerobius grub, a 
 small larva with big jaws, demolishing Dortkesia in 
 scores." 
 
 Mr. Bairstow remarks that the voracious larva is 
 much assisted in catching its prey by the structure 
 which enables it to use its long jaws in various direc- 
 tions, and thus grasp the eggs as well as capture the 
 young bugs ; also that it is readily detected in its native 
 haunts, either as a grub or pupa, by the powdery mass 
 of covering which it assumes, and which when pilfered 
 from the bug gives it a completely snow-flake appearance ; 
 or when at rest it might be passed over as a small mass 
 of spider's web. 
 
 The precise description of the egg has not been given, 
 but it is the nature of the Hemerolnidte, to which family 
 this Golden Eye belongs, for the female to discharge a 
 small quantity of sticky matter in the process of laying 
 each egg. This draws out in the operation into a long
 
 96 AUSTKALIAN BUG. 
 
 fine thread, at the free extremity of which the egg is 
 borne very much like the head of a pin on its stem. The 
 sketch of eggs added to those of the larva and perfect 
 insect of this Golden Eye merely conveys an idea of the 
 general method of egg-deposit of this family. 
 
 Yet another insect aider in keeping down what has 
 not been ill termed the "Scourge of S.Africa" may 
 very likely be introduced by importing from S. Australia 
 the dipterous parasite first observed by Mr. Frazer S. 
 Crawford, in his garden, at Adelaide. 
 
 In the course of correspondence with Mr. Frazer 
 Crawford, of Adelaide (Government Inspector under the 
 Vine, Fruit and Vegetable Protection Act, and Lecturer 
 on Economic Entomology), regarding leery a purchasi, 
 he wrote me as follows : 
 
 " For the last three years I have had a colony of 
 I. purchasi in a lemon tree in my garden : the other 
 day, being desirous of obtaining some living specimens, 
 I found that every one had been destroyed ; . . . . this 
 has been the result of two parasites. First the larva of 
 one of our native Coccinellidce, but the principal exter- 
 minator has been a dipterous insect in the shape of a 
 minute, metallic, greenish black fly." 
 
 FIG. 32. Portion of wing of South Australian dipterous parasite of 
 I.pnrchasi (since named by Dr. Williston Lestophonus icenj<z, gen. nov.). 
 
 A few specimens of this two-winged fly were sent over 
 to me, but they were too much injured by the journey, 
 or in unpacking, to be identified, and I could only 
 consequently give a few- rough notes of its general
 
 ICEEYA PUKCHASI. 97 
 
 appearance and a sketch of the neuration of a portion 
 of one wing. 
 
 Since then specimens reared by Mr. F. S. Crawford 
 have been forwarded to Prof. C. V. Kiley, and at his 
 request been identified by Dr. S. W. Willeston as being 
 of a new genus and new species of the Oscinidce, and 
 they have been named by him (descriptively of their 
 habits of killing or plundering the Iceryd) Lestophonus 
 Icerya.* 
 
 I have not yet seen a specimen or description of the 
 larva, but for general purposes the fly may be described 
 as about the sixteenth of an inch long, broadest across 
 the middle of the head, or in my specimens just behind 
 it, whence it gradually slopes off to the tail, so as to be 
 bluntly wedge-shaped when seen from above, and twice 
 the length of the widest part. Head with two large 
 compound eyes of a reddish colour, each occupying 
 about one-third of the width of the head, as seen from 
 above. The general colour or appearance dark greenish 
 black, or dark blue. The legs are stated by Dr. Willeston 
 to be rather short and strong, dark brown or blackish 
 brown ; front tarsi more lutescent or brownish yellow. 
 
 Those who wish full description, with good magnified 
 figure, are referred to Dr. Willeston's paper. 
 
 As this serviceable parasite has already been artificially 
 introduced into California, and further measures re- 
 garding it are now under consideration of the U.S.A. 
 Department of Agriculture, it may be hoped that means 
 will be discovered by which we also may be aided in 
 measures for serviceably reducing one at least of the 
 destructive insect-pests of South Africa. 
 
 Observation of Male Specimen of Icerya purchasi 
 from Natal. 
 
 On April 26th, this year, I was favoured by informa- 
 tion from Mr. Eichard J. Lewis, of Mount Park Crescent, 
 
 * See " An Australian Parasite of Icerya purchasi," by Dr. S. W. 
 Willeston, ' Insect Life,' No. 1, pp. 21, 22. Government Printing Office, 
 Washington.
 
 U SOFT ORANGE SCALE. 
 
 Baling, that amongst a number of specimens of Icerya 
 purchasi received from Natal, about ten days previously, 
 he bad found a specimen of the male insect alive, and 
 in fairly good condition. On comparing this with Prof. 
 Biley's description of the American species, and also 
 with his figure of the male insect in the U. S. A. Eeport, 
 1887, Mr. Lewis considered it agreed almost exactly 
 excepting in some minor details as to colour and hairs, 
 which might be easily explained by probable differences 
 in method of examination or mounting. 
 
 Mr. Lewis was good enough to place in my hands a 
 camera lucida drawing of the insect, coloured from life, 
 and magnified to about l inches in length ; and so far 
 as I can judge (from comparison of this with Prof. 
 Riley's figure) it appears to myself also to correspond 
 minutely in wing-neuration, antennse, and other essential 
 points all, in fact, which are represented. 
 
 I offer my best thanks to Mr. Lewis for his kind 
 courtesy in permitting me to complete the observations 
 of the South African Icerya purchasi, by publishing, 
 before he does so himself in full, his interesting 
 observation, which I believe to be the first recorded 
 notice of the male of Icerya purchasi being found on 
 the continent of Africa. E. A. 0. 
 
 LECANIUM HESPERIDUM, Linn. 
 
 Coccus hesperidum, Linn. Fauna Suecica, p. 264 ; Syst. 
 
 Nat. i. 2, p. 739. 
 
 Calymnatus hesperidum, Costa, Nuov. Observ. 1835 ?| 
 Calypticus hesperidum, Costa, Faun. Ins. Nap. Gall- 
 insect. 1837-8, 1 ; Lubbock, Proc. Eoy. Soc. ix. 
 480 ; Beck, Trans. Eoy. Micr. Soc. 1881, 47, &c. 
 
 Soft Orange Scale, or Broad Scaled- 
 Examples received from South Africa have been iden- 
 tified by Mons. Signoret as belonging to this common 
 
 * I have not given a figure of this Scale, as it is too well known to 
 require illustration.
 
 LECANIUM HESPERIDUM. 99 
 
 and widely-distributed species, usually known under the 
 popular name of the " Broad Scale." As the colour 
 and form become considerably altered in dried specimens, 
 which renders a description of such, imperfect and un- 
 satisfactory, it has been considered more desirable to 
 reprint the following description by Prof. Comstock, now 
 of Cornell University, New York State, U.S.A., given in 
 1880 in his excellent report on Scale insects. 
 
 " Adult female. Length 3 4 millm. Colour yellow, 
 inclined to brown upon disk, often quite dark ; shape 
 elongate-oval, nearly flat ; smooth and shining, with sparse 
 punctures upon the disk ; after death the border above 
 often becomes wrinkled radially for a narrow space. 
 The antennae are seven-jointed, the fourth and seventh 
 subequal in length, and the third but little shorter ; 
 first, second, fifth and sixth short and subequal. The 
 legs are long and comparatively slender, with the tarsi 
 shorter by one-fourth than the tibiae ; the hair upon the 
 trochanter is very long, and the tarsal claw is large ; 
 the tarsal digitules are long and much widened at their 
 extremities, and also stout at the base. The anal ring 
 is very small, and is furnished with six long stout 
 bristles." 
 
 " Young larva. Long-oval ; antennae with six joints 
 only, of which the third is the longest." Eeport of the 
 Entomologist of the United States Department of Agri- 
 culture for 1880, p. 335. Washington, 1881. 
 
 This Scale, known in North America as the " Broad 
 Scale," or " Soft Orange Scale," is very widely distributed 
 geographically and also botanically. It is found in many 
 parts of the world and on many kinds of plants. It is 
 stated by Prof. Comstock to be found in N. America on 
 Ivies, Oranges, and other plants ; in California it is 
 recorded as found in nearly every locality where Citrus 
 trees are grown, and that it infests the wood, foliage and 
 fruit. 
 
 Mr. Maskell, in his 'Account of Insects noxious to 
 Agriculture and Plants in New Zealand,' describes this
 
 100 SOFT OBANGE SCALE. 
 
 L. hesperidum, Linn., under the name of the "Holly 
 and Ivy Scale," and records it as being present " every- 
 where on Ivy, Holly, Camellia, Orange, Laurel, Myrtle, 
 Box, and many other plants out of doors or in green- 
 houses. In Europe chiefly on Ivy and Oranges, but 
 frequently on other plants. In America on many 
 plants." 
 
 In Europe this species of Scale insect is mentioned 
 by M. Signoret as being found on Oranges, both in the 
 greenhouse and the open air, and on surrounding 
 plants. 
 
 The prevalence of this Scale on various kinds of 
 plants might perhaps be turned to some little account 
 in preventive measures, by clearing those found to 
 foster it from the neighbourhood of where Orange trees 
 are grown in only small numbers, where they are 
 grown in plantations this point would perhaps not make 
 much difference. 
 
 The female insect, when full grown, may be generally 
 described as an oval Scale, rather more than a twelfth of 
 an inch in length, dark brown in colour above, lighter 
 at the margin. It is considered to produce its young 
 alive, and as many as forty-five have been found under 
 one mother Scale. 
 
 The male Scale, as far as I am aware, has not been 
 observed, or rather not so completely observed as to be 
 certainly identified ; but in the short paper on this 
 insect given by the late Matthew Cooke, he mentions 
 that in September, 1880, whilst preparing a mounting 
 of an example of Lecanium hesperidum for microscopic 
 use, an insect was observed coming from under a 
 specimen beneath the glass, which finally released itself 
 and proved to be a male Scale. I append part of the 
 description and Mr. Cooke's comment below.* 
 
 * Description. " Colour : body immaculate golden-yellow ; eyes dark 
 or black ; antennae (from the peculiar position in which they are placed 
 I can only count seven joints) golden-yellow and hairy ; legs golden- 
 yellow. As it did not agree with the description of any of the male Scale 
 insects I had read of, or specimens of males of aurantii, perniciosus, 
 persete, rapax, rosece, or purchasi in my possession, I could only imagine
 
 LECANIUM HESPERIDUM. 101 
 
 The injury -which is caused by this Orange Scale is, 
 firstly, by the Scale insects drawing away the juices of 
 the leaves (or whatever part they attack) with their 
 suckers, by which they waste the sap and also injure the 
 state of the tissues by pricking them with numbers of 
 little holes ; and, secondly, by the shoots (if badly 
 attacked) becoming covered with masses of black 
 filth. 
 
 In the case of some Scale-infested Orange or Lemon 
 shoots sent over to me from California for examination, 
 they were fairly smothered in the masses of Scales and 
 black dirt. It is thus described in a short, clear, and 
 spirited paper by Prof. MacOwan, Director of the Cape 
 Town Botanic Gardens, on " Diseases of Orange Trees, 
 Scale, &c."* : 
 
 " When the Scale is only moderately present the tree 
 keeps a-head of the injury, but if there be much of it, 
 so that the Coccus' sugary excrement varnishes over 
 the leaves, then there will come a detestable black 
 fungus (Capnodium Footii), growing on the saccharine 
 secretion and choking up the stomata or breathing-pores 
 of the leaves. Now for this plague there is nothing to 
 be done but cleaning down with alkaline and soapy 
 syringings." 
 
 With regard to applications, probably any soapy or 
 other wash would answer the purpose which would stifle 
 or kill the Scales, without risk of damage to the leafage 
 or fruit beyond what might be prevented by a " swilling" 
 with clean water afterwards. 
 
 At pp. 79 86, in the preceding paper on Australian 
 Bug or Soft Cushiony Scale, are various recipes which 
 
 that it was the male of L. hesperidum (be what it may it came from under 
 the L. hesperidum Scale, and I fortunately preserved the mounting." 
 Injurious Insects of the Orchard, Vineyard, &c.,' by Matthew Cooke, 
 late Chief Executive Horticultural Officer of California (Sacramento, 
 Cal. U. S. A. 1883), pp. 164, 165. 
 
 * Paper on " Diseases of Orange Trees, the Scale, &c.," by Prof. P. 
 MacOwan, F.L.S., Director of the Cape Town Botanic Gardens; in 
 ' Agricultural Journal,' published by the Department of Agriculture of 
 the Cape Colony, No. 14, 1888, pp. 1, 2.
 
 102 SOFT ORANGE SCALE. 
 
 appear applicable also to this kind, and likewise a 
 recipe for a soft-soap and paraffin mixture found useful 
 for ordinary Scale insects, with directions for use. But 
 whatever is used, the chance of success depends much 
 on the method of application : I therefore take leave to 
 give the remainder of Prof. MacOwan's advice on this 
 subject, in his own words (from the paper above quoted), 
 as it could not be more clearly and strongly conveyed, 
 and I would particularly draw attention to the good 
 advice given in italics : 
 
 " A powerful syringe, or rather force-pump, with a 
 portable reservoir, is used to swish every part of the 
 foliage from the inside. After the soap-lye has been on 
 the tree for 24 hours in dry, or say 36 hours in cool 
 damp weather, the syringing is repeated with plain 
 water, to get rid of both soap and the dead Scale insects. 
 If the water is as hot as the hand can bear, say 95 to 
 100, it will be all the better. By this means, perse- 
 veringly kept up, Mr. W. W. Dickson, of Ceres Eoad, 
 starting with a plantation of neglected trees, covered 
 with Scale, soon got them all as clean as the palm of 
 my hand, and good growth followed straight away. Now 
 as to the wash. For a first application, supposing Scale 
 to be badly developed, take 4 Ibs. soft-soap and a full 
 quart of paraffin oil ; rub into the soap, little by little, 
 a gallon of hot water, and, when emulsionised into a 
 uniform oily mass, add the oil the same way. Dilute 
 this down for use with nine gallons of warm water, 
 and keep thoroughly mixed while using with the force- 
 pump. 
 
 " Mr. Dickson used the soapy liquor of the wool- wash, 
 and thus utilised an otherwise useless lye-product. For 
 a subsequent application the lye may be somewhat 
 weaker. A good force-pump mounted on a barrel to 
 hold the lye, or the subsequent wash-water, may cost 
 3 or 4, and is worth every penny of the money. The 
 delivery hose should be mounted on a tube 3^ or 4 feet 
 long, and the labourer, dressed in a sack with holes for 
 head and arms, gets up inside the spread of the tree, if
 
 AMBLYOMMA HEBBJEUM. 109 
 
 it be large, and with the pump going swishes the back of 
 the leaves, i. e., takes the enemy in the rear. It is next 
 to useless to spray the tree from the outside.* 
 
 OKDER ABACHNIDA. 
 DIVISION ACABINA. 
 
 FAM. IXODIM. 
 AMBLTOMMA HEBREUM, Koch. (Fig. 32.) 
 
 AmUyomma hebrceum, Koch, Arachnidensys. iv. p. 63, 
 t. 10, f. 36. 
 
 Cattle Ticks. "Shell Tick." 
 
 Together with the specimens of South African insects 
 forwarded to me by Mr. Bairstow, he also sent samples 
 of Cattle Ticks, known respectively as the " Great 
 Cattle Tick " and the " Shell Tick, which, although very 
 different in appearance, were considered on investigation 
 to be male and female of one species. 
 
 Of these Mr. Janson wrote me as follows : 
 " As regards the Ticks I have two specimens, a small 
 one labelled " Shell Tick, Port Elizabeth,"! attached to 
 a portion of skin, and a large one called the Great 
 Cattle Tick : these I have not the slightest doubt, judging 
 by allied species, are male and female of AmUyomma 
 hebraum (Koch). The male is described and figured in 
 the ' Ubersicht des Arachnidensy stems,' by Koch, but 
 the female, as far as I can find, has not been described." 
 
 "In the male of this species" (that is, in the kind 
 called by Mr. Bairstow the Shell Tick, figured above 
 life size and magnified E. A. 0.) the body is nearly flat 
 and of a short ovate form, the broadest part behind ; it 
 
 * Paper by Prof. MacOwan, above quoted. 
 
 t I have received several of this sex from Bedford, South Africa, but 
 no females.
 
 104 
 
 CATTLE TICKS. 
 
 is of a pale greenish or slaty grey colour, usually darker" 
 or more or less shaded with red towards the sides ; the 
 spots and markings are red-brown or pitchy black ; the 
 hinder margin is crenulate, and there is an impressed 
 submarginal line ; the sides are sparsely punctured, and 
 there are two small deep impressions in front ; the palpi 
 and legs are of a rust-red colour, the latter with a yellow 
 spot at the ends of the joints ; the length of the body is 
 6 millm." 
 
 FIG. 32. Amllyomma hebraum, male, life-size and magnified ; outline 
 figure showing size of female, inflated. 
 
 " In the female specimen" received (that is, the spe- 
 cimen sent by Mr. Bairstow under the name of the 
 Great Cattle Tick, of which the size is given in the 
 figure in outline E. A. 0.) "the body is enormously 
 distended, and now of a dark brown-red colour, with a 
 pale reddish grey spot in front ; the surface is finely 
 granulated, and when magnified is seen to be very finely 
 striated ; the legs are of the same colour, and marked 
 as in the male. The length of the body is 22 millm."* 
 0. E. J. 
 
 * The above is given merely as a general description. Those who 
 desire a fuller description of Amblyomma hebrcBum (male), the Shell Tick 
 of Port Elizabeth, will find it in the ' Arachnidensystems ' of Koch, 
 above referred to. With regard to the female, or Great Cattle Tick, the 
 colour of the body cannot be given with precision, as in all probability it 
 alters after death and immersion in spirit. In his notes Mr. Bairstow 
 (casually) alludes to a great Cattle Tick, under the name of the " Blue
 
 AMBLJOMMA :HEBR2EUM. 105 
 
 The first-mentioned of the above, which was sent over 
 in spirit still adhering firmly to a piece of hide, and so 
 remained during the time it continued in my possession, 
 Mr. Bairstow described as " The disastrous hide-perfo- 
 rator of these regions commonly known here as the 
 Shell Tick," very beautiful in appearance, but none the 
 less injurious, as when its lancet sucker is inserted it 
 remains in position for such a lengthened period as to 
 cause evident distress to the victim and injury to the 
 animal; also that it would indeed be a boon to the 
 country if any means could be discovered to destroy 
 or, what would be better, prevent the presence of a 
 little creature which moves a market downwards at a 
 high percentage." 
 
 With regard to the Great Cattle Tick, Mr. Bairstow 
 forwarded a specimen with a quantity of eggs in spirits, 
 and an outline, of somewhat oval form, three-quarters 
 of an inch long by three eighths wide, giving the size of 
 the parent Tick when it reached him, with eggs in 
 thousands. It is interesting as pointing out such a 
 vast prolific tendency. It lived a month after it com- 
 menced to deposit. 
 
 Excepting the great amount of mischief caused by 
 these Ticks very little is noted of their habits, and 
 therefore the following extract (appended in Murray's 
 ' Aptera,' pp. 201 203, to the mention of Amblyomma 
 rotundatum, Koch, of S. America) may probably be of 
 service as giving an account of the general method of 
 
 Tick," as follows: "The common huge Blue Tick, though sometimes 
 occurring almost gregariously in thousands upon one beast, gorges to so 
 filthy a repletion that it falls off upon the ground. The Shell Tick is 
 left, though preceding the other in arrival." It appears, from the notes, 
 that the "Blue Tick" and the "Great Cattle Tick" are most likely 
 merely different common names for the same kind, therefore I have above 
 drawn attention to the colour of the Great Cattle Tick as received having 
 probably undergone the change which may be (to give a common example) 
 seen in this country in Dog Ticks ; but, however this point may be, in 
 the letterpress above I have only referred to the kinds sent over as 
 " Shell Tick " and as " Great Cattle Tick," not at all to the Blue Tick, 
 so, whether this is or is not the same as the Great Cattle Tick, this makes 
 no confusion with identification of the others. E. A. O.
 
 106 . CATTLE TICKS. 
 
 life of the Ticks of this genus (Amblyomma} , including 
 the very serious harm caused by them to the infested 
 cattle : 
 
 " This (A. rotundatum) may be taken as the type of a 
 multitude of Ticks that infest South America, where 
 they are known by the name of Carapato, being so called 
 in consequence of their resemblance to the Eicinus which 
 bears that name in Portuguese. 
 
 " There are many species that go by this name, but 
 no doubt the majority belong to the genus Amblyomma. 
 They are common in all parts of South America where 
 cattle abound, and they not only attack cattle, but also 
 horses, dogs, and sheep, and occasionally man himself. 
 Like our own Ticks they are found on plants, and when 
 cattle become infested with them it is generally after 
 feeding on open and exposed pastures, where the sun's 
 heat is great, and they increase most in dry seasons. 
 
 " It is remarkable that cattle feeding in shady pastures 
 and coppices are frequently quite free from the Carapato, 
 but will acquire it by infection from others. The mode 
 in which it appears to cause destruction to the animal 
 infested by it is by the incessant irritation, which 
 prevents|the animal feeding or resting, and in consequence 
 it becomes worn out. Many thousand head of cattle are 
 annually carried off by them, and even a scarcity of food 
 has been caused by them. Prof. Busk, from whom we 
 take some of these details, in describing the young of 
 one species (Trans. Mic. Soc., vol. i.), and the mischief 
 that they do, mentions that ' they first appear on those 
 parts of the skin uncovered by hair, and are then not 
 larger than a pin's head, and make the part quite black 
 by their numbers. They adhere so closely that scraping 
 them off would tear off the skin. In a short time they 
 increase to the size of a bean, or Common Tick, as seen 
 in dogs, and fix themselves promiscuously on all parts 
 of the hide, where covered with hair.' 
 
 " The same species appears to insinuate itself, in its 
 incipient state, upon the human body, but is not known 
 to assume the Tick form there (doubtless because not
 
 AMBLYOMMA HEBBJEUM. 107 
 
 allowed to remain). They adhere most tenaciously to 
 the skin, and, he says, 'they are believed to introduce 
 themselves below it, and are very harassing, and even 
 create soreness and inflammation. They generally affect 
 persons who have been passing through woods, although 
 not often seen or found on trees or plants.' 
 
 " Cuvier, after noting that ' they are found in thick 
 woods abounding in brushwood, briars, &c.,' states that 
 they attach themselves to low plants by the two fore legs, 
 extending the other feet so as to seize anything that 
 brushes against them, and, their claws being provided 
 with caruncles that act as suckers, the slightest touch is 
 sufficient to give them a hold. 
 
 " Besides fastening upon dogs, cows, horses, and other 
 quadrupeds, they even lay hold of the tortoise, burying 
 their suckers so completely in its flesh that they can 
 hardly be detached by force and by tearing away the 
 portion of skin to which they are fastened. They deposit 
 a prodigious number of eggs." 
 
 The regular treatment for Tick on infested cattle is 
 commonly well known to cattle-owners, but it may be 
 remarked that tearing the creature away, or trying to do 
 so, is apt to cause a deal of mischief. Unless some 
 treatment is applied to make it lose hold the creature 
 often breaks off, and the part by which it was attached 
 remaining in the skin is very likely to cause a sore. 
 
 In a letter of Mr. Bairstow's dated Sept. 1, 1886, he 
 mentions that Messrs. McDougall's dressing (presumably 
 Dip or Smear) " is a capital thing for cleansing, and 
 certainly drives Tick away." Also in a communication 
 sent over by Mr. Bairstow, on Dec. 24th of the same 
 year, from Mr. H. Mapplebeck, Premier Judge of Dogs 
 and Poultry at the Agricultural Show held shortly before 
 at Port Elizabeth, Mr. Mapplebeck mentions McDougall's 
 "preparations" as what every S. African farmer should 
 have in his possession, so that they are presumably of 
 tried service : but for cases of this sort, if there is any 
 difficulty, probably a letter to the Editor of that useful
 
 108 SOUTH AMERICAN " GARRAPATAS." 
 
 publication, the ' Agricultural Journal,' published by 
 the Agricultural Department, Cape Colony,* would, in 
 this and many other instances, secure a practical reply 
 meeting all needs. 
 
 South American " Garrapatas." 
 
 Whilst the above observations on the South African 
 Shell and Cattle Ticks were still in press, I was favoured 
 with the following information (from personal observa- 
 tion) of habits and means of prevention of some of the 
 South American Cattle Ticks, by Mr. C. P. Hayward, 
 of the firm of Messrs. Tomlinson and Hayward, of 
 Lincoln. 
 
 The specimens accompanying appeared on examina- 
 tion to be a species of Hcemaphy sails ; and the description 
 of the habits and some points of the history of these 
 Garrapatas or Ticks, also the serious nature of the 
 injuries inflicted and the means by which they may be 
 checked, appear to me of so much practical service 
 that I give them, by permission, in Mr. Hayward's own 
 words : 
 
 " As regards the treatment of these pests by us, we 
 have had to deal with thousands of animals (cattle) 
 infested with them, and to begin at the onset when the 
 animals are first attacked. I will relate to you my own 
 experience of a trip from Buenos Aires to the large 
 Cattle Estancia of Sefior Don Mariano Unzue, situated 
 midway between the towns of Gualaguaychu and Con- 
 ception del Uruguay in Entre Eios. 
 
 "Hearing that S. D. M. U. was losing some twenty- 
 five to thirty animals per day through the pest of 
 Garrapatas (this is the correct way of spelling this word 
 by the natives of Buenos Aires), I proceeded to the 
 estancia (farm), where I found the news too true, and 
 the poor animals in a fearful state of emaciation. 
 
 " There were some 50,000 head of cattle on the 
 estancia ; and not having had rain for some time the 
 
 * For address -see Preface.
 
 SOUTH AMERICAN " GARRAPATAS." 109; 
 
 ground was hard, the grass parched up, and but little 
 for them to eat, and, like many other pests, these 
 Garrapatas appear associated with the poverty of the 
 animals they live upon. The origin of these pests I could 
 not gather correctly, but the natives told me that they 
 first come in the long coarse grasses so prevalent there, 
 and begin by attacking the legs of the cattle first, then 
 the shoulder, and afterwards all over, and, like the 
 Sheep Tick, are blood-suckers, but more tenacious than 
 the Tick, as the Garrapata has always his head or sucker 
 embedded firmly in the skin, and does not migrate 
 among the hair of the cattle like the tick in the wool of 
 the sheep. The Garrapata varies in size from the size 
 of a pea to that of a large bean, and is, in its natural 
 state, of a light greenish colour ; those sent you have 
 been that colour, but changed to their present colour 
 through the spirit they are in, and which is no criterion 
 of their natural state : it attacks horses, dogs, and even 
 men, and to release them is most difficult, as their 
 proboscis is left in if you attempt to pull them off, and 
 causes great irritation ; the native, alive to the conse- 
 quences, generally burns what is left exposed, i. e. the 
 body, with a hot cigarette or cigar, and this seems to 
 cause the Garrapata to relinquish its hold immediately. 
 " Our modus operandi has been to secure the animal 
 and pour a solution of our glycerine wash, in the pro- 
 portion of 1 part wash to 20 parts water, by means of a 
 watering tin (as shown in the illustration sent you), 
 when in less than five minutes all the Garrapatas have 
 been killed, the effect of our wash having an outward 
 destructive power upon them, as the solution simply 
 paralyses the parasite, it being of a strong carbolic 
 nature, and thus acts immediately upon the breathing- 
 pores of the Garrapata. To treat the animals thus 
 affected in South Africa we should urge the same 
 process, which is by no means an expensive one on a 
 large scale, where several hundreds or thousands of 
 animals have to be treated : of course in South America 
 the native uses the lassoo, and I have had as many as
 
 110 SOUTH AMERICAN " QARRAPATAS." 
 
 thirty men catching and throwing the animals for the 
 process of pouring the solution upon them. For Africa 
 no doubt they have a similar way of treating cattle, and 
 having them in subjection when they require to handle 
 them closely. 
 
 " The specimens of Garrapatas sent you are in their 
 various stages of growth, and I would particularly call 
 your attention to the smaller ones, and the group of 
 three which I found as all young ones are found 
 adhering close to the head of the full-grown ones, as if 
 learning the art of blood-sucking. I must not forget to 
 mention that the deaths of the animals occurred through 
 the loss of blood these Garrapatas extract."* 
 
 In the above notes the point of the belief of the 
 natives that the Ticks are picked up by the cattle in the 
 long grass is well worth notice, as this is confirmed by 
 observations of habits of Ticks elsewhere ; and the 
 points also of young Ticks being found near the adult 
 specimens on the infested animal is of serviceable 
 interest as pointing to multiplication taking place on the 
 cattle, as well as the likelihood of the attack Being picked 
 up as above is worth notice, more particularly as this is 
 confirmed by observations of habits of Ticks elsewhere. 
 
 The evidence given both by Mr. Hayward and pre- 
 vious scientific observers in South America, and by Mr. 
 Bairstow in South Africa, as to the serious damage 
 caused by these blood-sucking pests to the cattle, show 
 the attack to be one deserving care both by remedial 
 applications and also possible measures of cleanliness, 
 and attention being given to " prevent overstocking on 
 large cattle farms, by the long grasses being burnt that 
 shelter the Ticks, and altogether giving greater attention 
 to the condition of the localities of pasturage of the 
 cattle, when such pests would be less numerous, if not 
 wholly prevented." 
 
 * Extract from letter of March 29th, 1889, from Mr. C. P. Hayward to 
 myself, on the subject of Cattle Ticks and methods of prevention. 
 E. A. 0.
 
 Ill 
 
 LIST OF INSECTS 
 
 FORWARDED FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 
 (Where an asterisk is appended the name only is given.) 
 
 Order COLEOPTEEA. Beetles. 
 
 Fam. MJELOLONTHnxaE. 
 EriestJies stigmatica, Billb. Mealie Chafer. 
 Hypopholis sommeri, Burm. Vine Cockchafer. 
 
 Fam. DYNASTID^S. 
 
 Heteronychus arator, Fab. " Keever Beetle." 
 Pentodon nireus, Burm. Corn Chafers. 
 contractus, Bohm. 
 
 Fam. CETONIID.33. 
 
 Rhabdotis semipunctata, Fab. Fruit Chafer. 
 
 Fam. ANOBIIDJE. 
 Anobium paniceum, Linn. " Boot Beetle " ; Paste Beetle. 
 
 Fam. BOSTRICHID^:. 
 Apate Franclsca, Fab.* 
 
 Fam. TENEBEIONID^!. 
 
 Psammodes obliquatits, Sol. Mealie Beetle. 
 Opatrum micans, Germ. Carrot and Potato Beetle. 
 
 Fam. CANTHABID2E. 
 
 Mylabris oculata, Thunb. Blister Beetles injurious to vegetation. 
 
 lunata, Pall. 
 
 16-guttata, Thunb.* 
 
 capensis, Linn.* 
 
 groendali, Billb.* 
 
 undata, Thunb.* 
 Lytta pallidipennis, Haag.* |, ,, 
 
 Fam. BBUCHIDJE. 
 Bruchus sp. ? (subarmatiis, Gyll. ?). Bean-seed Bruchus. 
 
 Fam. OTIOBHTNCHID^:, 
 Plilyctinus intEqualis, Bohm.* 
 
 Fam. 
 
 Erioderus hirtus, Fab.* 
 Macrotoma dimidiaticornis, Waterh.*
 
 112 INSECTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 
 
 Fam. CERAHBYCID.K. 
 Litopus dispar, Thorns.* 
 Promeces linearis, Linn.* 
 Hypocrites mendax, Fahr.* 
 
 Fam. LAMIID.E. 
 Phryneta spinator, Fab.* 
 Ceroplesis bicincta, Fab. Willow or Timber Longhorn Beetles. 
 
 hottentotta, Fab. ,, 
 
 Alphitopola maculosa, Pasc. Orange-tree ,, 
 
 Fam. GALERUCID.ZE. 
 Iphidea capensis, Baly, n. sp. Fruit-tree Iphidea. 
 
 Fam. HALTICID^E. 
 Dibolia intermedia, Baly. Dark blue Flea-Beetle. 
 
 Fam. COCCINELLID.S:. 
 Eodolia Iceryce, Janson. Ladybird, feeder on Australian Bug. 
 
 Order HYMENOPTEBA. Wasps, Ants, &c. 
 
 Fam. PoNEBnxaE. 
 Streblognathus JEthiopicus, Smith.* 
 
 Fam. FORHICID.S:. 
 Camponotus fulvopilosus, Deg.* 
 
 Order LEPIDOPTEEA. Butterflies and Moths. 
 
 Fam. PAPZLIONID^E. 
 Papilio demoleus, Linn. Orange Butterfly. 
 
 Fam. SPHINGIDJE. 
 Acherontia Atropos, Linn. Death's Head Moth. 
 
 Fam. BOHBYCIDJE. 
 Trilocha ficicola (Westwood). Fig Moth. 
 
 Fam. TINEID.E. 
 Pluttlla cruciferarum, Zell. Diamond-back Moth. 
 
 Order DIPTEEA. Two-winged Flies. 
 
 Fam. MUSCID^:. 
 Ceratitis citriperda, Macl. Orange Fly : " Trypeta Fly," S.A. 
 
 Fam. HIPPOBOSCID.E. 
 
 H/ppobosca Struthionis, Janson, n. sp. Ostrich Fly. 
 OlJ'ersia spinifera, Leech. Pigeon Fly.
 
 INSECTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 118 
 
 Order NEUEOPTEKA. Dragonflies, &c. 
 
 Fam. TEBMITID^;. 
 Termes angustatus, Bamb.* 
 
 Fam. HEMEROBIID^E. 
 Chrysopa (iceryce, n. sp.). Lace-wing Fly. 
 
 Order OBTHOPTEBA. Locusts, Crickets, &c. 
 
 Fam. ACBIDIID.E. 
 
 Phymatew morbillostis, Linn. Variable Locust. 
 Cyrtacantliacris ruficornis, Fab. Bed-horned Locust. 
 
 Order BHYNCHOTA. Aphides, Scale Insects, <&c. 
 
 Fam. CEBCOPIDJE. 
 Ptyelus grossus, Fab. Tree Froghopper. 
 
 Fam. COCCIDJE. 
 
 Icerya Purchasi, Maskell. Australian Bag ; Cottony Cushion Scale. 
 Lecanium Hesperidum, Linn. Broad Scale. 
 
 Class ABACHNIDA. Order ACABINA. 
 
 Fam. IXODID.B. 
 Amblyomma hebraum, Koch. Shell Tick : Great Cattle Tick.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Acherontia atropos, 40 
 Agricultural Journal of Cape Co- 
 lony, where procurable, Preface 
 Alphitopola maculosa, 32 
 Amblyomma hebraeum, 103 107 
 Anobium paniceum, 14 17 (see 
 
 " Boot Beetle ") 
 
 "Australian Bug": appearance 
 of in S. Africa, 70 ; description 
 of, 72 79 ; methods of preven- 
 tion and remedy, 7990 ; soft- 
 soap washes, to destroy, 80 85 ; 
 hand-picking, and shaking down 
 to destroy, 8789; danger of 
 spreading, 90; list of applica- 
 tions used to destroy, 90 ; insect 
 destroyers of, 91 97 ; observa- 
 tion of male of, 97 
 
 Bean Bruchus, 22 28 ; descrip- 
 tion of beans infested by, 25 ; 
 grub furnished with three pairs 
 of foot-like appendages, 26 ; to 
 destroy in infested beans, 26, 
 27; Calvert's Carbolic Acid, 
 MeDougali's Sewage Carbolic, 
 and Blue Vitriol, useful to 
 destroy infestation, 27 ; fumi- 
 gation by bisulphide of carbon, 
 27 ; how to distinguish infested 
 beans, 28 ; change of crop as a 
 means of prevention, 28 ; mea- 
 sures of prevention and remedy, 
 2628 
 
 Bean-seed Beetle, 2228 
 
 Bisulphide of carbon to poison 
 insects in seeds, 27 
 
 Blister Beetles, 21, 22 
 
 Blue Vitriol for dressing infested 
 bean-seed, 27 
 
 Boot Beetle, 1417; allied to 
 English Death-watch Beetle, 
 15 ; method of injury, 15 ; to 
 boots at Port Elizabeth and 
 Cape Town, exported from 
 England, 15, 16 ; method of 
 life of, 16 ; suggestion of means 
 of prevention for, 17 
 
 Bruchus sp. ? (subarmatus, Gyll.?), 
 
 Calvert's Carbolic Acid, useful for 
 dressing beans infested by 
 Beetle, 27 
 
 Carrot-root and Potato-leaf Beetle, 
 19,20 
 
 Ceratitis citriperda, 49 
 
 Ceroplesis bicincta, 29 
 hottentotta, 31 
 
 Chafers, to destroy, by shaking 
 down, 4 ; by catching with nets, 
 14 ; grubs, sometimes at roots 
 of grass, 5 ; grubs, to turn out 
 from roots, 4 ; kind of informa- 
 tion needed regarding methods 
 to destroy, 5 
 
 Chrysopa (?icerye, n.sp.), de- 
 structive to Australian Bug, 
 93 96 ; description of larva (or 
 maggot) of, 94 
 
 Coccinella (Ladybird Beetle) de- 
 structive to Australian Bug, 
 91 
 
 Cyrtacanthacris ruficornis, 65 
 
 Death's-head Moth, 4043 ; same 
 species as the British kind, 41 ; 
 fond jof honey, 41 ; caterpillars 
 feed on vine-leaves, 42 ; got rid 
 of by hand-picking, 43
 
 INDEX. 
 
 115 
 
 Diamond-back Moth, 46 49 ; 
 caterpillars of, attack cabbage, 
 47; means of prevention for, 
 48,49 
 
 Dibolia intermedia, 35 
 
 Eriesthis stigmatica, 1 
 Erioderus hirtus, 33 
 
 Fig Moth, 43 46; injurious to 
 
 leafage and buds, 45 ; remedies, 
 
 46 
 Flea Beetle, dark blue, 3537: 
 
 reported to be seen in great 
 
 numbers in British Caffraria 
 
 about 1883, 36 
 Froghopper, Tree, 6568 
 Fruit blossom, Blister Beetles 
 
 injurious to, 21, 22 
 Fruit Chafer, 12 14; nearly 
 
 allied to English Eose Chafer, 
 
 13 
 Fruit-tree Iphidea, 34 
 
 " Garrapatas," South American 
 Ticks, 108110 ; habits of, 109 ; 
 Glycerine wash of Messrs. 
 Tomlinson & Hayward destruc- 
 tive to, 109 ; method for applying 
 on a large scale, 109 
 
 Glanville, Miss, Preface 
 
 Heteronychus arator, 5 
 Hippobosca equina, 59 
 
 ,, rufipes, 57 
 
 struthionis, 56 60 
 
 Hypocrites mendax, 34 
 Hypopholis sommeri, 2 
 
 Icerya purchasi, 69 98 (see 
 
 "Australian Bug ") 
 Insects, list of species sent from 
 
 S. Africa, 111113 
 Iphidea capensis, 34 
 
 " Keever" Beetle, 5 9; said to 
 feed on wheat-roots, 6 ; also on 
 potatoes, 7 ; found in neigh- 
 bourhood of grass land, 8 ; fly 
 about trees on hot nights, 8 ; 
 manure suggested as means of 
 trapping, 79. 
 
 Lace-wing Fly (" Golden-eye ") 
 destructive to Australian Bug, 
 9396 
 
 Leeanium hesperidum, 98 103 
 
 Lestophonus iceryse, 96, 97 
 
 Litopus dispar, 34 
 
 Locust (variable), 62 65 
 
 Lytta pallidipennis, 21 
 
 MeDougall's Sewage Carbolic, for 
 
 dressing beans infested by 
 
 Beetle, 27 
 
 Macrotoma dimidiaticornis, 33 
 Mealie Beetles, 1, 18 
 Mylabridae, injurious to peas, fruit 
 
 blossom, &c., 21, 22 
 Mylabris lunata, 21, 22 
 oculata, 21, 22 
 ,, sp. of mentioned, namely 
 
 capensis, grcendali, 16-guttata, 
 
 and undata, 21 
 
 Olfersia spinifera, 61 
 
 Opatrum hadroides (in St. Helena), 
 ,, micans, 19 [20 
 
 Orange Butterfly, 37 iO ; com- 
 mon in Eastern province, 40 ; 
 caterpillar infests fennel and 
 orange leaves, 40 ; hand-picking 
 caterpillars and turning soil 
 round roots of trees, to prevent 
 attack of, 40 
 
 Orange Fly, 4956 ; localities of, 
 50 ; fruits that the caterpillars 
 of feed on, 51 53 ; to preserve 
 fruit from, 54 
 
 Orange Scale, Soft, 98 103 ; 
 localities of, 99 ; specimen of 
 supposed male of, 100 ; soft-soap 
 and paraffin wash, to destroy, 
 101 ; method of application, 
 102 ; dress for operator, 102 
 
 Orange tree, Longhorn Beetle of, 
 32 
 
 Ostrich Fly, 56 60; numerous 
 on ostriches observed, 58 ; does 
 not lay eggs, 59 ; suggestions of 
 remedies for, 59, 60 
 
 Papilio demoleus, 37 
 Paste Beetle, 14 (see 
 Beetle ") 
 
 Boot
 
 LI D rtn n 
 
 116 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Peas and beans, Blister Beetles 
 injurious to, 21, 22 
 
 Pentodon contractus, 11 
 nireus, 10 
 
 Phryneta spinator, 33 
 
 Phymateus morbillosus, 62 
 
 Pigeon Fly, 61, 62 
 
 Plutella cruciferarum, 46 
 
 Potato-leaf and Carrot-root Beetle, 
 20; allied species found in 
 potato-grounds and on ploughed 
 fields in St. Helena, 20 
 
 Prevention and remedy, measures 
 of : for caterpillars turning soil 
 round stems of infested trees, 
 40 ; shaking does not answer 
 where caterpillars have clinging 
 powers, 46 ; hand-picking, 40, 
 43 ; sheep driving, 49 ; chrysalis 
 cocoons, turning out from the 
 ground, 43 ; picking off trees, 
 46 ; burning, on remains of 
 infested crop or weed plants, 
 48 ; burying down, 48 ; shaking 
 down moths, 46 (jarring trees 
 so as to shake off the infestation, 
 and stirring the ground, is also 
 serviceable for getting rid of 
 Beetles or of their maggots 
 below the surface of the earth) ; 
 change of ground, 59 ; dressing 
 infested ground with quicklime, 
 &c., to kill bird pests, 59; 
 clearing out harbouring places 
 in stock or ostrich enclosures, 
 60 ; burning infested grass to 
 destroy Tick, 110; for washes 
 see references. 
 
 Promeces linearis, 34 
 
 Psammodes obliquatus, 18 
 
 Ptyelus grossus, 65 
 
 Bhabdotis semipunctata, 11 
 Kodolia iceryae, 9193 ; introduc- 
 tion of into New Zealand to 
 destroy Australian Bug, Preface 
 
 Scale, Cottony Cushion, 6993 
 Orange, 98103 
 
 Shell Tick, 103107 ; female of, 
 known as|Great Cattle Tick, 104 ; 
 McDougall's dressing, good ap- 
 plication for, 107 
 
 Tarred bands, to prevent passage 
 of wingless insects, 88, 89 
 
 Ticks (Cattle) South African and 
 South American, 103 110; 
 McDougall's Smear, and Tom- 
 linson and Hayward's Glycerine 
 Wash, useful to destroy, 107, 
 109 ; preventive measures, 110 
 
 Tobacco, with soft-soap wash, 81 
 
 Tree Froghopper, 65 68 
 
 Trilocha ficicola, 43 
 
 Trypeta Fly, 4956 
 
 Vine Chafer, 2 5 
 
 Washes, glycerine, 109; ostrich 
 droppings boiled in water, 86 ; 
 soft-soap, 80 85 ; to dissolve 
 sulphur in, 81 ; whale-oil soap 
 and sulphide of soda, 82 ; 
 method of mixing soft-soap and 
 mineral oil in U. S. A., 83, 84 ; 
 soft-soap and paraffin, as used 
 by Mr. Ward of Stoke Edith, 
 84; as used by Mr. Malcolm 
 Dunn of Dalkeith, 8486 
 Wheat Chafers, 59 ; 10, 11 
 Willow Beetles, 29 32; very 
 common and injurious, 32 
 
 F, NEWMAN AND CO., PRINTERS, HATTON GARDEN, B.C.