The existence in Mauritius of the Melolonthid beetle, Phytalus smithi, Arrow, was detected for the first time in July 1911 on those lands of Mon Rocher Estate which adjoin the Royal Botanical Gardens of Pamplemousses. It was at once suspected that this new pest of the sugar-cane must have been conveyed into the Colony by some shipment or other of sugar-cane cuttings from abroad, but no clue could be found as to its country of origin until February 1912, when it was detected in Barbados by Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall, Director of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, who was then on his way to the Agricultural Conference held at Trinidad in that year.