oe NP re il at gn Ltda! weeibtohitetogs meseetteen Ais hake ; Wiese ventawicamainsseiet ten retin corinne okee m? aided Dats ent: * . : s . state ah 78 7 shen is! ohaseteress odk ied Meniriphiae tet Rtutahartegentest Serpette ton ects 3 pee patterns ae eet ime ~ HARVARD UNIVERSITY er Lis, LIBRARY OF THE Museum of Comparative Zoology — " \ . oat a Tn ie te and : My ¥\ ., ns hb % \ . i ; ; sa Bal : ; x j ; v ‘ i A in oy x INDIAN MUSEUM NOTES. ISSUED BY THE TRUSTEES, > EDITED BY THE OFFG. SUPERINTENDENT. Votume VI.—No. I. CONTAINING THE TITLE PAGE, PREFACE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. Published by Authority of the Government of Tndia, Aepartment of Revenue and Agriculture. CALCUTTA: OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA. 1903. ~ Price 12 cd. oF 13. 20, pees eS > ra) : Beal 5 INDIAN MUSEUM NOTES. ISSUED BY THE TRUSTEES. EDITED BY THE OFFG. SUPERINTENDENT, VoLUME VI—No. 1. PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND AGRICULTURE, CALCUTTA: OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA, 1903. APR 13 1914 ues ARL: (< SMWrirwte SO & ' < Ge, Agents for the sale of Books published by the Superintendent of Government Printing, India, Calcutta, In ENGLAND, E. A. Arnold, 37, Bedford Since, Strand, W. C. Constable & Co., 2, Whitehall Gardens, S. W. Sampson Low, ‘Marston & Co., St. Dunstan’s House, Fetter Lane, E. C. Bernard Quaritch, 15, Piccadilly, W. P. S. King & Son, 2 & 4, Great Smith Street, Westminster, S. W. Luzac & Co., 46, Great Russell Street, ‘W.C. Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co. Charing Cross Road, W. C. Deighton, Bell & Co., eee Williams and Norgate, Oxford. & On THE ConrTINENT. R. Friedlander & Sohn, 11, Carlstrasse, Berlin, N. W. Otto Harrassowitz, Leipzig. Karl W. Hiersemann, Leipzig. Ernest Leroux, -28, Rue; Bonaparte, Paris. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague. In Invi. Thacker, Spink & Co., Calcutta and Simla. Newman & Co., Calcutta. S. K. Lahiri & Co., Calcutta. R. Cambray & Co., Calcutta. Thacker & Co., Ld., Bombay. A. J. Combridge & Co., Bombay. D. B.Taraporewalla Sons & Co., Bombay. Higginbotham & Co., Madras. V. Kalyanaram Iyer & Co., Madras. G. A. Natesan & Co., Madras. Superintendent, American Baptist Mission Press, Rangoon, Rai Sahib M. Gulab Singh & Sons, Mufid-i-Am Press, Lahore. Radhabai Atmaram Sagoon, Bombay. N. B. Mathur, Superintendent, Nazair Kanun Hind Press, Allahabad. NOTICE. ——ja HE serial Indian Museum Notes is devoted to Economic Entomology, and is issued by the Trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, under the authority of the Government of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department. For the views expressed, the authors of the respective notes are alone responsible. The parts of the serial are published from time to time as materials accumulate. Communications are invited; they should be addressed to—Zhe Editor, Indian Museum Notes, Calcutta, and should be accompanied by specimens of the insects to which reference is’ made. Soft-bodied insects can be sent in strong spirit ; chrysalids and cocoons alive, and packed lightly in leaves or grass; other insects, dried and pinned, or wrapped in soft paper. Live insects should be sent when there is a reasonable chance of their surviving the journey. Caterpillars, grubs, and other immature insects can, in the present state of our knowledge, be only ap- proximately determined; they should therefore, where possible, be accompanied by specimens of the’mature insects into which they transform. : CONTENTS. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, PAGE. 1. Description of a new species of Oligotrophus from Fhdia, by D. W. Coquillett ° ° ° - I 2. Descriptions of three new Parasitic Eiymenaprers Ford eg Be W.H. Ashmead, M.A. . : ° e wee 3. Description of a new Serica destructive to Mallotns AIRES aenee by Ernst Brenske . 4 4. Notes on Helopeltis esa the ¢ Mosauit Blight? a Tes by Harold H. Mann, M.Sc. E - : : ; 5 5. Insecta Indica ieee oe - : 14 Notes on the Bostrichide of the Indian Beno Part I, by the Editor. 6. A preliminary Report on two serious pests of the Indigo Plant by H. W. Peal, Assistant Entomologist, Indian Museum . ° AS 7. Insecta Indica I1.—Coleoptera 2 ° ; . 3s 47 A note upon some predaceous Coccinellide of the Indian Region, Part I, by the Editor. NOTES ON INSECT PESTS FROM THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION, INDIAN MUSEUM. I.—Insect Pests of Fruit Trees - - : : - sn aoe O3 II.—Insect Pests of Plants . ° . . . ° . 75 I1].—Insect Pests of Vegetables ° . ; . . : 76 1V.— Insects affecting Cereals and Crops . , ° Sige 30 - 78 V.—Insect Pests of Sugar Cane. % - . ‘ - - 82 VI.—Insects affecting Cotton . A ° ° ‘ : ° - 82 Vil.—Insect Pests of Tea . . Z r : A ae s 84 VIll.—Insects affecting Fabrics . - - ‘ : . ° « 85 A Ceylon Pest : ° ° ° : . . : » 87 Economic Entomology in Ceylon eo ap lect Verh rereuarse bp se aes is be ay oh ¥ -. i es a IVC . PREFACE. JiTH this number the Indian Museum Notes commence a sixth volume, a volume which the Editor trusts will find that ready support which has been so pleasing a feature and has proved so effective in the past, both in the Economic and Scientific branches of the subject, That such help has been abuadantly forthcoming the five volumes already issued bear witness to, and our sincere thanks are due to all those whose active ep apa sympathy made their compilation possible. In the future we look forward to a still greater progress, With Scientific Entomologists at work in the country many new species are likely to be discovered, entailing a large amount of descriptive work; many new life-histories will be worked out and new remedies for combating serious attacks devised; the relations and the work of parasitic insects, the introduction of pests from abroad and the spread of pests within the limits of the Continent will all receive attention, and records of the enquiries made will doubtless find their way into the Notes. The Oifg, Superintendent, who has edited the present number, has under preparation a conspectus giving a list of the insects and summarizing the whole of the information which has appeared about them in the previous five volumes. He trusts to be able to issue this conspectus in the present volume and believes it will be found as useful to those who make use of the Notes for working purposes as he has found it himself, E. P, STEBBING, LF-S., Offe. Superintendent, Nat. Hist. Section, Indian Museum. October 1903. Vol. VI.] ? Re [No. 1- ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 1.—DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF OL/IGOTRO- PHUS FROM INDIA. BY. D. W. COOUILLETT. - (Vide Vol. V, No. 3, p. 115.) Oligotrophus saligneus, n. sp. Dark brown, the head except lower part of face, mesonotum and metanotum black, legs and halteres pale yellow, a pale yellow humeral spot, and a larger one beneath each wing; antennz of male about half as long as the body, nineteen-jointed (2+17), the third joint consisting of a thickened basal part about one-half longer than broad and a constricted apical portion about half as long as the thickened basal part, the latter bearing two whorls of bristly hairs ; remaining joints similar but becoming successively shorter, and with the constricted portion proportionately longer except between the last two segments which is extremely shorts antenne of female about one-third as long as the body, nineteen-jointed, the third. joint slightly longer than broad, the following joints becoming successively shorter and narrower, wings grayish-hyaline, costal cell brownish, third vein (the apparent second) ending slightly above the extreme wing-tip, forming an apparent continuation of the small cross-vein, the latter issuing from the extreme base of the fifth vein (the apparent third); length, 1°5 to 2 mm, Two males. and three females, bred May 4, 1901, from galls! on Salix elegans by (the late) Mr, Lionel de Nicévelle. Habitat: Tehri Garhwal, North-Western Himalayas. Elevation: 9,0c0 feet. Gall formed on the stems or branches, sometimes affecting only one side of the stem or branch, at other times extending wholly around it, the smaller galls measuring from7 to 16 mm. long, the larger ones 70 mm. long by 20 wide; outwardly the galls are bare, and present a somewhat blistered appearance. + These galls were sent to the Indian Museum, Calcutta, from the Himalayas. The insects were bred out in the Museum.—£d. B 2 Indian Museum Noles. [ Vol. V. 2,—DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW PARASITIC HYMEN- OPTERA FROM INDIA. By WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, M.A., Assistant Curator, - United States National Museum. The following three species of parasitic Hymenoptera were received by Dr. L. O. Howard, Entomologist of the United States Department of Agriculture, from (the late) Mr. Lionel de Nicéville, Entomologist to the Indian Museum, Calcutta. FAMILY, Bethylide. _ (Vide Vol, V, No. 3, pp. 178 and 181.) 1. Goniozus indicus, sp. nov. @ .—Length 2°5 to 3 mm. Black and shining, the head with -some small, sparse, scattered punctures, the pronotum very delicately and microscopically shagreened, the parapsidal furrows not indi- cated, the metathorax feebly reticulate with irregular microscopic lines at the sides, the antenne and the legs, except the coxe, anterior femora above and the middle and hind femora except’ at tips, honey-yellow, the anterior femora above and the middle and hind femora being embrowned or black; the extreme apex of the dorsal abdominal segments 2 to 4 are usually more or less jointly © testaceous, while the wings are hyaline, the veins more or less yellowish, the stigma and parastigma being brown. TyPE.—Cat. No. 6140, U. S. N. M. Host.—Lepid., larva of Sczrpophaga auriflua, a Crambid sugar- cane borer, Described from several specimens bred by Mr. de Nicévelle. This species comes very close to G. ¢cdzalis, Voll., the only other described Asiatic species, but it is easily distinguished from it by the colour of the antennz and legs, the absence of parapsidal furrows and by its sculpture. 2. Apanteles scirpophagae, sp. nov. d.--Length 1:9 mm. Black and shining, pubescent, the meso- notum with some sparse punctures, the scutellum with a crenate No. 1.) WV. H. Ashmead—New parastitc Hymenoptera from India. 3 ~ furrow across the base, the metathorax opaque, wrinkled, the first and second dorsal abdominal segments sculptured, the following segments smooth, impunctate; the scape and legs, including the coxa, are honey-yellow, the flagellum being brown-black and pubes- cent. Wings hyaline, the costa and stigma, except a large pale blotch basally and within, are brownish, while the rest of the veins are pale yellowish or whitish. Typz.—Cat. No. 6141, U.S. N. M. Host.—Lepid., Sc¢rpophaga aurtflua. ay ee Described from one ¢ specimen. Comes apparently nearest to A panteles monagriz, Olliff., described from Australia. ; eo 4 es 2s 3. Macrocentrus Nicevitllet, sp. nov. ?.—Length, 2 to 2°5 mm.; ovipositor longer than the whole insect. Uniformly pale yellow except the eyes, which are brown- black with purplish reflections in certain lights and a black or brown spot enclosing the pale ocelli. The long antennz are faintly dusky towards their tips. The wings are hyaline and iridescent, the stigma and veins yellowish, the costal vein and the outer edge of the stigma being brownish, the second cubital cell being narrowed towards apex, the second transverse cubitus being only about half as long as the first. 6 .—Differs from 2 only in having the flagellum and the apical half of the abdomen brown, the latter being depressed and without the prominent ovipositor. TypE.—Cat. No. 6142, U.S. N. M, Host.—Lepid., Nowagria inferens, Wlk., a sugar-cane-borer. Described from many specimens, bred by (the late) Mr. de Nicéville from the host taken in Champaran, Behar. Mr. Ashmead makes the following note upon these species :— Goniozus tndicus, Ashm. There is only one other species described from Asia by Vollenhoven. Apanteles scirpophage, Ashm. No other species is known from India, and it is represented by a single specimen. I have kept this and a good series of the other species mentioned for the National Museum, Macrocentrus nicévillet, Ashm. It is the first species in the genus to be described from Asia. DAS TS Indian Museum Notes. : [Vol. VI. obese OF A NEW SERICA DESTRUCTIVE TO MALLOTUS EES Iles is By ERNST BRENSKE, Serica Alcocki n. sp. Long. 6, 5—f; Lat. 3, 5—4 mill. ¢ ? Patria :—Siwalik Hills, Dehra Dun ({ndian Mus., Calcutta). Opaca, brunnea supra nigrescens, pruinosa; clypeo rotundato, antice parum sinuato margine elevato, dense ac leviter rugulaso, punctato, subtiliter carinato, haud spinoso, Prothorace convexo, lateribus rotundatis, antice medio parum producto; angulis posticis late rotundatis. Scutello parvo, haud lato. Elytris subtiliter striatis, striis irregulariter punctatis, interstitiis planis, fere inpunctatis. Femoribus dilatatis, haud spinosis; tibiis posticis parum dilatatis, anticis acute bidentatis. Antennis gracilibus, decemarticulatis, clava triphylla, parva. Articulo ultimo spatnorut ee breviter - ovato, acuto, This insect is alluded to on p, 217 of volume IV of these Notes. By some unaccountable oversight, due most probably to the letter getting mislaid on the death of Mr. Barlow, the description has. not previously appeared. Our sincere apologies are duce to Herr Brenske for this regrettable delay. No, 1.) H. H, Mann—On Helopeltis thetovora, 5 A.—NOTES ON HELOPELTIS THEIVORA, THE “ MOSQUITO BLIGHT” OF TEA, By HAROLD H. MANN, M.Sc. The recent progress which has been made in the methods of attempting to deal with Helopeltis theivora, which is by far the most serious insect pest of tea, justifies a description of these methods, the principles on which they are based, and the results which appear to have been achieved. Before doing so, it will be as well to indi- cate some points in the life-history which have recently been made out, and to describe the insect, as it occurs in Cachar, more minutely en has hitherto been done. ; __ We owe almost all our morphological descriptions of ibe capsid bug to Mr. Waterhouse, who named it; to Mr. S. E. Peal and to Mr. Dudgeon, who alone have attempted to describe it accurately. Mr. Dudgeon’s description of the adult mature insect is in fact one to which there is, except in matters of detail, little to add, at any rate as concerns the type which is almost exclusively found in the Dar- jeeling Terai, the Duars, Cachar, and Sylhet. Mr. Waterhouse’s ‘description was, however, as follows. ? Black; pronotum orange yellow, with a black line near the anterior margin, the base margined with black; scutellum brown, black at the base, spine or horn long, much snavell, black, at the apex brown: antennz dark brown, basal joint paler, velllon at the ‘base: femora dark brown mottled with light brown, witha light yellow ring at the base: tibie light brown, speckled with dark ‘brown. : On this Mr. Dudgeon remarks: “ the female insect only is des- cribed: presumably, therefore, the insect figured to illustrate the description* is also a female: the ovipositor is not shown, however, although it is more than half as long as the rostrum. It is difficult to distinguish it on the underside of the abdomen, folded, as it is, close against the dark shiny surface with which it matches well in ~ colour : but, if the body be pressed, it rises from the surface and can be distinctly seen with the naked eye. It is inthe form of a curved corneous process, rising from the centre of the sixth abdominal seg- ment on the underside and reaching to the eighth segment. Its colour, like that of the posterior AR nae segments, is dark brown t we AE 8 ON aa ee ee ED es a ee es *In Indian Economic Entomology, Vol. 1., No. 4. + Though a considerably redder brown than these segments (H. H. M.), a5 Indian Museum Notes. (Vol. VI. Owing to the position of the egg when laid, it will be seen that an ovipositor of this or similar form is necessary. ...... Nine or ten eggs are generally found in the body of a mature female, as, owing to their large size in comparison to the insect itself, there would scarcely be room for more. It is possible that more eggs are formed as they are laid.? — “Tt will be seen by referring to Mr. Waterhouse’s description of the insect that no mentionis made of the colour or markings of the abdomen ...... The abdomen in fresh specimens of both sexes is invariably bright emerald green by transparency, marked dorsally on the third to the ninth segments with shiny dark brown. The extent of brown on the third segment is limited to a small dorsal patch or is altogether absent; on the fourth it extends over the whole dorsal region : on the fifth partially lateral and wholly dorsal: the remaining segments are all dark brown: the segmental divisions are greenish, The male differs from the female in having the pronotum very slightly tinged with yellow: the abdomen more slender and the absence of the ovipositor. The larve are greenish with deep ochreous or orange legs and antenne: in some the abdomen is distinctly yellowish, although the same becomes green after having fed.” With the exception of the last sentence this description agrees ia every particular with the insect as found in the districts above named. I have, however, never been able to detect any change in colour of the larve, From their earliest development to their last moult the colour of the larvae varies from an orange brown to a bright emerald green, a difference for which one cannot at present account. To this description one can, however, add further details as to the form and venation of the wings, as to the form of the tarsus and leg as to the structure of the scutellar horn, as to the formation of the rostrum and as to the form of the ovipositor and the anus of the female. All of these are illustrated in Plates I and II, the figures being directly drawn from preparations made from Cachar insects hardened in alcohol. Wings.—The hemelytron is long and rather drumstick-like in shape averaging in length 64 mm. The clavus is well developed but triangular in shape being widest at the root of the wing. The corium is not hard, being little thicker than the remaining part of the wing. It passes into the cuneus without any division. The membrane has only one vein irregularly shaped as shown in the figure. The wing membrane (see fig. 3, Plate I) is covered with very microscopic hairs, and the edge is, as shown, very distinctly hairy. The hind No. 1.] H, H, Mann--On Helopeltis thetovora. T wing has no very peculiar features, It is about 5°3 mm. longand possesses, however, one spur-like vein in the membrane of the wing. Leg and Tarsus.—The hind leg is figured in Plate I, figs. 5 and 6, and the tarsus separately (fig. 7) at a higher magnification, This is in general, just as described by Mr. Waterhouse, “the femora dark brown mottled with light brown: the tibiz light brown speckled with dark brown.” The lower part of the tibia is very hairy. The tarsus is *56 mm. in length and is composed of three joints; of these the first is very large and hairy and overlaps considerably the second joint, which is small, not being half the size of the first joint. The third is intermediate in size, and like the other two very hairy. The last joint bears two claws on each side of the tarsus. The femora is about 2°6 mm. and the tibia 3°5 mm. in length, Scutellar horn.—This, which is the peculiarity of the genus Felopeltis, rises from the central segment of the thorax toa height of 1'°3 mm. It is bent backwards, though not nearly so much as would be imagined from Mr, Waterhouse’s descriptioa. It contains no duct of any sort. The tip isa cup (see Platel, figs. 8, 9, and PI. II, fig. 10), shown highly magnified in fig. z0, and less so in fig, 8, which contains a multitude of short hairs. There seems a good deal to show that this is in some way a sense organ, but this point needs further observation. Rostrum.—(Plate Il, figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6).—The rostrum is four-jointed, and is usually held parallel to the body, and under- neath it. It is 2mm. in length. It contains, as is usual with this group, four sete, which are shown in fig. 2, and one of which is shown extracted in fig. 3.. The rostrum is slightly hairy throughout its length. The tip shown enlarged in fig. 4, and highly magnified (front and side view) in figs. 5 and 6, is very hairy and can evi- dently be used as a suction bell, Ovipositor.—The description of the ovipositor by Dudgeon above quoted is complete except that he did not mention that it is double. Jn all cases I have examined it is formed of two separate instruments, quite serrated on one side of the tip, apparently to act as a means of lacerating the stalk of the plant. Its length in the mature insect is about 1°5 mm. Anus of the female.—This is depicted in Plate II, figs. 9 and 1o—and possesses no features of importance. The orifice itself is about *3 mm. in diameter. The description of these features will probably be of some im- portance in the classification of the species of this genus, which has, not as yet been satisfactorily carried out. 8 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. Vi. The life-history has now been fairly well ascertained, and, as occurring under normal conditions, does not require a fresh descrip- tion here, I have gone fully into the matter recently in conjunction with Sir George Watt (The Pests and Blights of the Tea Plant: ‘Calcutta, Government of India Press, 1903). There are several points, however, which are still obscure, and it is with the object of trying to throw some light on one or two of these that these notes are written. The number of eggs laid by one female has never been deter- mined, nor is it known whether new eggs continue to be produced after the maturity and fertilisation of the insect by the male. The only attempts to touch on this point have been those of Mr. Green,* but he confined himself to showing by dissection that the individual female contained more eggs in that period of the year when the insect was not destructively active, It struck me, however, that valuable information might be obtained by examining female adults caught late in the afternoon. It is, of course, probable that the eggs are either laid chiefly at night or else in the daytime, and hence if eggs are continuously being produced in the body there ought to be a great excess of eggs in the females either in the morn- ing or in the evening. In November igo2 a large number of insects were therefore dissected, and some of the results follow. In each case the female was dissected out in order to show the eggs, which were then carefully counted. 1. Kuttal, Cachar, October 27, 1902.— (a) Morning Catch—24 adult insects; 6 females. Females contained respectively (i) 17, (2) 20, (3) 15, (4) 6 eggs Average 14} eggs per insect. (4) Afternoon Catch—35 adult insects; 16 females. Females contained respectively (1) 4, (2) 0, (3) 4, (4) 0, (5) 10, (6) 14, (7) 0,(8) 0, (g} 12, (10) 0, (14) 13, (42) 0, (13) 20 eggs, Average 5°8 eggs per insect, while 46 per cent. contain none at all. 2. Kuttal, Cachar, October 28th, 1902 :— (2) One insect caught 8 A.M., contained 14 eggs. 3. Szlcoorte, Cachar, October 30th, 1902 :— (a) Morning Catch—220 adult insects; 103 females. Six females, ee at random, contamed respectively (1) 1, (2) 16, (3) 18, (4) 19, (5) 0, (6) toeggs. Average 104 eggs per eet 16'7 per cent. contain’ none at all. ® Circular, Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Series I, No. 21, 1902. No. 1.) H. H. Mann—On. Helopeltis thetovora. 9 (6) Afternoon Catch—equal number males.and females. Four females, selected at random, contained respectively (1) 0, (2) 18, (3) 0, (4) 23 eggs. Average 10°12 eggs per insect; 50 per cent. contain none at all. 4. Chandighat, Cachar, November rath, 1902 :— (a) Morning Catch—1g adult insects; 5 females. Females contained respectively (1) 14, (2) 9, (3) 12, (4) 13, (5) 8 eggs, Average I1'2 eggs per insect; none were without eggs, 5. Doloo, Cachar, November 14th, 1902:— (a) Catch in middle of day, under shade—t54 adult insects ; 72 females. Eight females, selected at random, con- tained respectively (1) 0, (2) 6, (3) 14, (4) 0, (5) 0, (6) 0, (7) 0, (8) 7 eggs. Neeser 3°4 eggs per cee 62°5 per cent. contained none at all. Such are the figures obtained. On the face they seem rather self- contradictory, especially as the largest number of all was found in an insect caught in the afternoon, but, nevertheless, on the whole these figures seem most clearly to indicate that the insects contain more eggs in the morning than in the afternoon ; that is to say, that then they have not exhausted their supply, as they have done later in the day. Now when to this is added the fact that in the ovary of the female insect one frequently comes across a few of what are ap- parently eggs in course of formation, but very difficult to dissect out, I think one will have to conclude that the evidence is strongly in favour of the inference that eggs are to a certain extent continuously formed in the body of the mature female, and that instead of laying a definite number of eggs and then dying, as is usual in, say, the Lepidoptera, the insect, in a certain measure, continuously produces eggs after arriving at maturity. The few insects containing a large number of eggs found late in the afternoon, are probably those which have recently arrived at maturity and have hardly, if at all, commenced egg-laying, ) FHitbernation of the insect.—It has been noticed ever since the first appearance of the tea mosquito as a pest of Cocoa, Cinchona and Tea that at certain times of the year it disappeared, or appeared to do so. In the Indian districts, for instance, this time runs from the middle of December till March or April; in Ceylon there are two periods when the Helopelzis antont of their districts can hardly be found. The question at once arises as to whether this is a real hi- bernation or no; does the insect become quite inactive, or is it merely reduced in numbers; does it spend this time in one condition or does it continue to breed ? Io ‘Indian Museum Notes. - [ Vol. VI. _ Some time ago* I showed that the supposed fact of the disappear- ance was not real, and that the insect could be found on the bushes. in all stages at any part of the year, provided sufficient care were taken in seeking them, I also showed that living eggs were present in the bushes in January when the insect was supposed to be in full hibernation. During the past hibernating season 1 have been able, with the aid of Mr. J.-J. Smith of the Behalli Tea Estate, Assam, to follow the life of the insects throughout the hibernating period. On nearly every day since December 25, 1902, to the end of April, boys have been employed catching the insects, a task, at which, though it is of extreme difficulty to a beginner, they become very expert. More than this, every day’s catch has been sorted out into males, females, and larve. The results summarised are as. follows :— Date. Nees ocaies Larve. ee : REMARKS, December (25 to 31) 10 19 60 89 | 4 boys employed catch- January ~ ing. (20 days) 20 2 448 495 3 to 6 boys employed. February (25 days) 48 40 1,084 1,172 | 4to15children employed. March (23 days) 60 101 1,550 I,7t1 | to to 19 children em- April ployed. (26 days) 25 81 1,069 LpugS 18 to 21 children em- ployed. The above plots were sprayed with kerosene emulsion (see below), in January, February, and March. On another garden, close to the above, where the place had been partly, but only partly, sprayed with Chiswick Compound the following figures were obtained in. March and April :— Dates Wimtaied) |\renmaten || ESN) qeectat | REMARKS. March ; (24 to 31) 23 Ozer: 714 829 7 to 13 children employed. April (26 days) 131 685 2,298 eyilliiia Weiter, (qe) el SN Ge em: ployed. * See The Mosquito Blightof Tea. Pamphlet published by the Indian Tea Asscciation. Calcutta, 1902. : } : No. 1.] H. H. Mann—On Helopeltis theiovora. 11 These figures, taken with those I have previously published (toc. cét.) for ever set at rest the question of the hibernation of the Helopeltis in the Indian Tea Districts. They are breeding through-- out the year, though this breeding descends to a minimum in Octo- ber and November in some districts, and later in others, That this breeding is continuous is still more clearly shown by the following table, calculated from the figures given above :— January. March, April. December, February. Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. Adult males °. . Ii 4. 4 33 2 Adult females. ° 21 5 3 6 7] JWBIATES 0 - C 68 gi 03 Qos QI ToTAL : 100 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 Mr. G, C. Dudgeon has recently informed me that he has found the adult insects, like many other bugs, in a very inactive condition in the lower part of the tea bush during the so-called hibernating months at Ging, Darjeeling (5,000 ft.). They do not, however, become in the least inactive in the plains districts, as I have found myself in the Darjeeling Terai. Moreover, I am informed from Cachar that the insects are much more difficult to catch at this period, owing to their great activity. The reduction in numbers during these months and the fact that this is also the time of pruning the tea bushes in India, has led me to a method which bids fair, from experiments so far conducted, to give reasonable prospect of being able to deal with this serious pest.. It is well known that capsid bugs are with difficultly reached by any spray that we know,—and in any case, spraying during the season of | great activity of this insect (the rainy season), would be impossible because (1) when one may have five inches of heavy rain, and more,. any day, there is no spray known which will stay on the bushes, (2) the leaf being the crop desired, which is plucked every week, it would mean stopping the plucking and manufacture of tea for some- time to the utter ruin of the remainder of that year’s crop. Thus spraying at the season of activity was ruled out of court in the early part of the investigation. It was further found that the suggestion to severely pluck the bush, - so as to take off the eggs laid in the young shoots with the leaf~ 52 ‘Indian Museum Notess (Vol, VI. —_— plucked, long ago made by Mr. Wood-Mason, has precisely the opposite effect to that desired, and rendered the bush more suscep- -tible to further attack.* The conclusion appeared to be that the likely means of dealing ~with the insect was One of prevention rather than of cure, and involved making the bushes after pruning into as unfavourable a condition as possible for laying eggs, for a long enough time to prevent the -insects then in existence laying eggs on the tea at all, and at the same time by a process of suffocation preventing the eggs already in the bushes hatching out at all. It is obvious that for a fair test of such a method, when one has to deal with a flying insect, it was absolutely necessary to experiment on a plot of tea sufficiently isolated to prevent the entrance of outside sources of infection. This cannot usually be done, but fortunately there is a means of knowing fairly ex. -actly the nature of the attack in the early season, that is to say, whether ‘it is caused by freshly introduced insects, or by those bred in the ‘bushes, by the position of the punctured leaves. The insects bred in the bushes almost always produce small punctures caused by the. young insects in the interior of the bushes ; while the freshly intro- duced bugs produce in greater part large punctures chiefly caused by adult insects, and are near the surface of the bush, After the end of May this distinction does not really hold good to an extent which will enable the attack to be classified. The materials tried up to the present in these experiments are (1) kerosene einulsion, made up according to the American formula and diluted to ten times its volume, though I usually, however, have to -employ for the watersin the tea districts, 2 lbs. of soft soap per two gallons of kerosene to get a satisfactory emulsion easily; and (2) ‘Chiswick compound, employed as recommended by the Chiswick Soap Company at the rate of 25 lbs. to two hundred gallons of water, A Gould’s Standard Sprayer has been employed throughout. In the experiments in 1902, the area treated was twelve acres quite isolated by being a ioo0 yards from any other tea. This dis- tance, as had been already seen in May, was not, however, sufficient to prevent the introduction of insects from the nearest outside plots of tea. The tea was pruned two years back in February, but no cleaning out of the twiggy growth was attempted, as this is not usually done in the Terai where this experiment was carried out. The spraying was done with the kerosene emulsion in March, and with the Chiswick compound in April. In May I visited the garden and found that very few (2 per cent.) of the bushes on either of the treated plots were even touched with the pest, and, moreover, that * Mr. Green, in Ceylon, has a!so noted this fact- - No. 1.) H, H. Mann—On Helopeltis thetovora. 13° most of these had been attacked by insects which had flown in from outside. Both the Chiswick compound and the kerosene emulsion plots were equally free, The remainder of the garden, not treated, showed seventy-five per cent. of the bushes attacked. At the end of July the manager wrote me that though the majority of the bushes showed signs of the pest, the bushes were still yielding leaf freely, while the other blocks near by were giving little or none, He added, moreover, ‘f The bushes on the experimental block. have quite vigorous growth, by comparison with the other blocks, and Iam of opinion that they will be able to throw off the blight. shortly.” The latter opinion was not quite justified, but at the end of the season, he was able to report that the bushes treated had yielded fully six weeks longer than the blocks unsprayed, and that one maund (eighty pounds) of tea had been obtained per acre in excess of what. had been produced on similar plots elsewhere in the garden. Favourable results like this have led to experiment on a much. larger scale in 1903, when I have arranged to treat seventy-two acres — in Assam, sixty-four acres in Cachar, and a hundred in the Darjeeling Terai. At present (May igo3) when the blight is only beginning to seriously appear it is impossible to draw any conclusions, but that the prospects of success are at present good is shown by letters received recently from all three places, Mr. J.J. Smith, who is in charge of the Assam experiments at the Behalli Tea Estate, writes on May 2: “I am very pleased with the look of the old tea sprayed at. Bedetti,and should we have good rain soon, we ought to get good leaf returns,” ‘Mr. H,. E, Crawford of the Lalla Mookh Tea Estate, Cachar,. writes under date April 28: ‘There are absolutely zo leaves punctured by mosquito blight on the sprayed area, but a few are found on other.parts of the garden. I think the treatment will at least check the mosquito blight very considerably ; I mean that the pest will not put in an appearance as early as in former years.” In the Terai experiments Mr. Browne of the Longview Tea Estate, writes on May 7, 1903; “I have not seen so few signs of | mosquito blight for many years, and am certain as soon as we get rain that the difference of the sprayed blocks and the unsprayed will be very quickly apparent.” Till the end of July it will be.seen that no certain results can be given, but there is reasonable prospect, as stated above, that a method has. been found by which the prevalence of this pest can be brought under control, if it cannot be entirely eradicated from tea- estates. 14 5.—INSECTA INDICA 1, -COLEOPTERA 1. NOTES ON THE BOSTRICHID2 OF THE INDIAN REGION, PART I. By THE EDITOR. With the exception of the Lepzdoptera and Riynchota, a portion of the Wymznoptera and a family of the Orthoptera (the Mantodea), . “put little work has up to the present been undertaken in the direction of cataloguing or monographing the /zsecta of the Indian Region. It is, therefore, extremely difficult.for workers in the country to find out what is known about a family they may be interested in and equally -so to discover (without going to the collections themselves which is generally impossible) to what extent that family is represented by specimens in the Indian Museum at Calcutta. The work already accomplished on these lines may be roughly -summarised, It consists of — 1. A series of papers on the Rhynchota of the Indian Region by the late Mr. E. T. Atkinson, I.C.S., read before the Asiatic Society and afterwards published in Part II of volumes LIII to LVII of the Journal. Species represented in the Indian Museum collections are noted. 2. Moore’s Lepidoptera of Ceylon, 1880 to 1886. 3. A catalogue of the moths of India by E. C, Cotes, and Colonel Swinhoe commenced in 1887, completed in 1889. Pub- lished by the Trustees of the Indian Museum. Species in the Indian Museum collections are noted. 4. Catalogue of the Mantodea by Mr. J. Wood-Mason, Superin- tendent, Indian Museum. Two parts, 1889 and 1891. Published by the Trustees of the Indian Museum. Species in the Indian Museum collections are noted. 5. Butterflies of India by L. de Nicéville (3 volumes, 1882-1890), A fourth volume is complete in manuscript.* No notes have been made as to whether the species enumerated are represented in the Indian Museum collections, but as the ‘Trustees of the Museum purchased the whole of Mr. de Nicévelle’s valuable collection, it is probable that most of . the species referred to are in the collections. 6. Moore’s Lepidoptera Indica; commenced in 1891—64 Parts issued. *This MS. has been purchased by the Truste2s of the Indian Museum -and sent to Colonel C. T. Bingham for incorporation in the Fauna volumes on the Rhopalocera. Indian Museum Notes, [Vol. VI, ee oe eee No. 1.] £. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region. 15 7. The Moths of British India in the Fauna series by Sir G. Hampson, Bart., volumes I-IV, 1892— 06. 8. The Hymenoptera Aculeata of British India in the Fauna series by Colonel C. T. Bingham, 2 volumes (1897 and 1903). 9g: Rhynchota (Heteroptera) in the Fauna series, by Mr. W, L. Distant, 1 volume (1902). No mention is made in the volumes of the Fauna series as to whether the species described are present in the Indian Museum collections or not, 10. A volume on the Longicornia is in preparation by Mr. C. J. Gahan of the British Museum and Colonel C, T. Bingham has taken in hand the Lepidoptera Rhopalo- cera—both for the Fauna series. : In addition to the above, papers on new species are of almost monthly appearance in one or other of the numerous scientific serials and magazines which record such, These cannot be listed here and few will be obtainable by the ordinary student in the country. Imay mention, however, the continuation of the Fauna series (Moths) in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society which has also had some papers on Indian Hymenoptera and Rhopalocera, and the excellent papers on the Coccide of the Indian Region by Mr. Ernest Green in Indian Museum Notes. It thus becomes evident that a vast amount of work in this direc- tion remains to be undertaken. In these papers an attempt will be made to add something to what has already been so successfully commenced. It is not proposed to limit their scope to any one order, although it is probable that that much neglected one, the Coleoptera, will receive considerable attention. In the case of every insect mentioned, a reference will be made as to whether it is or is not represented in the Indian Museum. If it is not, every effort will be made to procure specimens of it for the collections. The papers are written withthe intention of cataloguing the insects of the Indian Region, but short references will be piven as to distribution, habits, etc,, of the insects noticed. On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region, Part 1. Until comparatively recently the family Bostrichide had heen little studied. It was reserved for Mr. P. Lesne, of the Paris Natural History Museum, to take up and monograph this difficult but im- portant group in his classical Réviston des Coleoptéres de la famille des Bostrychides.* | have made use of this excellent memoir, or of the portions of it at present published, in revising the nomenclature of *An, Soc. Ent. Fr. Vols. LXV, LXVI, LX VII, LXIX. 16 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI. the members of the family present in the Indian Museum Collections and in drawing up the following notes on the Bostrichtdz of the Indian Region adding, where possible, any fresh information upon the life- histories, distribution, etc., that research and personal observations have brought to light and noting whether the species are represented in the Indian Museum collections :or not. The family is of some ecc- nomic importance, since it contains the well-known bamboo-borers which are widely distributed throughout the Indian Region. The identification and separation of the species in the Bostri- chide presents great difficulties. The uncertain limitations of the genera and the great scattering of original descriptions,-often incom- plete, has led to much confusion. Mr. Lesne is entirely revising the classification of the whole group, and his revision has been followed’ in this paper. In the preparation of his valuable memoir, the distinguished scientist has had the advantage of consulting the materials contained in the collections of the Natural History Museums at Paris, Stockholm, and Brussels and the collections of MM. Leon, Faimaire, René Oberthiir and Louis Bedel. Many other entomologists have also contributed notes and given every assistanc:. That the result is worthy of the Author a study of the memoir will at once make evident. _ A perusal of the work has demonstrated the fact that this family is a little known one and has been but slightly collected in the Indian Region, Some 4o odd species in all represent the total at present known and the information about them is of the meagrest. There can hardly be any doubt, | think, that there are numbers of forms at present unknown to science scattered throughout the region. Mr. Lesne divides the Bostrichtdz into the following four tribes, of which the first two are included in his Bostrichide procephalez, the last two in the Bostrichide hypocephalez. TABLEAU DES TRIBUS. 1—Téte insérée 4 la face antérieure du prothorax, comp]étment visible en dessus. Pronotum légérement convexe, inerme en ayant : : . Bostrichidze procephalze, 2. 1*—Téte insérée a la face inférieure | du prothorax, invisible en dessus. Pronotum trés convexe, hérissé de denticules en avant : : : Bostrichidze hypocephalz. 3. 2—Hanches antérieures non séparées par le prosternum. Inter- maxillaires! atrophié. Eperons terminaux internes des tibias anterieurs droits, égaux ou peu dissemblables. Colo- ration en partie metallique , : . Tribu Psotne 2 The intermaxillary of the jaws is here alluded to. No. 1.] £.P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region. 17, 2—Hanches antérieures séparées par un lobe prosternal, Inter= maxillaire bien developpé. Eperons terminaux internes des tibias antérieurs trés dissemblables, le plus grand fortement recourbé en arricre, le plus petit droit ou absent, Colora- tion brune an aig » Tribu Polycaonine. 3—@Tarses plus courts que les tibias; onychium! aussi long ow plus long que Jes articles précédents réunis, Hanches antérieures moins satilantes et nettement transverse. Pro- notum regulicrement convexe, arrondi au bord antérieur- les denticules médians étant les plus developpés, Vertex lisse on finement ponctte : « Tribu Dinoderinz. 3*.—=Tarses aussi longs ou plus longs que les tibias; onychium plus court que les articles précédents réunis.2, Hanches. antérieures élevées, saiilantes, subglobuleuses ou subs connoidés et non transverses, Pronotum fortement gibbeux, tronqué ou échancré au bord antérieur, les denticules lateraux etant plus dcveloppés que les medians.3 Vertex: couvert de petits granulés ou de trés fines cétes longi- tudinales ° ° ‘ ° . Tribu Bostrichine. BOSTRICHIDZ PROCEPHALA. The Tribe Psoing is at present unreported from India, Tribe POLYCAONINA, The tribe Polycaoninz consists of two genera—Po/ycaon and Heterarthron—of which the former is as yet unreported from India, Genus Heterarthron. Guésin, 1884, Icon, du Regn. Anim. Ins., p. 186. Exopioides Guérin, 1844, l.c., p- 187-—Id., 1845, Ann. Fr,, Bull., p. XVIF (sub Exopsorides). Polycaon auct. Body cylindrical. Anterior legs very robust, their tibize strongly indented on the inner sides at their bases and armed with a single minor terminal spur, Joints two and three of the tarsus prolonged on their inner lower edges, the joint below being inserted in the 1 This is the name given by Mr. Lesne to the last tarsal joint. 2 These characters of the tarsal joints of the Bostrichine are not absolutely constant. 3 Bostrichus elongatus, Lesne, is the only one whose pronotum does not show these characters. C we Indtan Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI. angle thus formed. Sides of the prothorax flat or slightly concave, Elytra very obtuse behind, ornamented with ribs, keels or teeth (except in H. confertus Lies.) 1. Heterarthron Feanus, Lesne. Ann. Mus. Gen., Serie 2, Vol. XIX wae 6 Maggio, 1899. Long 114—18 mill. Long, dark brown, Top of the head densely granulated. Frontal clypeal suture nearly straight, Epistome toothed in the middle of its anterior edge. Antenne 11-jointed. Labrum indented in front. Prothorax markedly constricted behind, narrower than the head (including the eyes) and than the elytra. Median groove of the pronotum strongly impressed ata point situated a little in front of the middle of the prothorax. Apical declivity of the elytra without restricting ridges or keels, and showing a few scattered granulations, its punctuation being Sunes fine. The suture is zidged on the declivity. 6. Top of the head with hardly any granulations. Clypeal tooth small, keeled. Basilar piece of head simple. Labium symmetti- cal, without apophysis at the left anterior angle. Pronotum densely granulated, except in its middle-anterior portion where it is finely punctured; granulations very scattered on the disc, Elytra slightly widened behind, shining in their dorsal area, strongly and rather densely punctuate near their base and showing laterally an oblique side (edge) where the punctuation is exiremely fine and little dense, and where the tegument is dull. This dull area is limited behind on the inner side by a longitudinal very obtuse ridge, furnished itself on its inner side with a series of granulations, Sutural angle of the elytra toothed. Abdominal pubescence long and dense. 2. Top of the head covered as is the pronotum with erect dense granulations. Median tooth of the epistome obtuse, not keeled. Eyes proportionately larger than in g. Pronotum-densely granulated except in the middle of the anterior edge, Elytra nearly parallel, strongly punctuate on the back and sides, finely and densely rasp- like on the lateral edges. Apical angle of the elytra straight, pointed. Abdominal pubescence less dense than in the ¢. This description is made from 5 individuals, 4 d andt 9. One of the ¢@ is very small (114 millim,; the length of the others varies between 17 and 18 millimetres, Distribution.—Thagata, Tenasserim. Unrepresented in Coll. Ind. Mus. Cale. No. 1] £.P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region. 1g Life-History.—Little is known upon this subject. Mr, Lesne states that the discovery of a Heterarthron inthe Old World is a most remarkable one, since all that was known about the Polycaoning pointed to their being of exclusively American origin, The species above described is a "perfectly typical Heterarthron, but markedly distinct from the. other known species. It is closely allied to the South American forms, H. rufipes, H. gracileps and H. parvidens, from which ‘it diteily alter in the absence of all bordering ridge or keel on the apical declivity of the elytra and ey the simple labium of the male. Mr. Lesne suggests that appearances are in favour of this species being a recently introduced one into Asia. Personally I am more inclined to the idea that research will not improbably bring to light further specimens in Burma and perhaps Southern Madras. BOSTRICHIDZ HYPOCEPHALA. Tribe, DINODERINZA. (See Tabl. des tribus 1*, 3.) « Lesnge.—Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. LR VI, 1897. The tribe is divided into four genera—D/noderus, Rhizopertha, Stephanopachys, and Prostephanus—ot which representatives of only the former two appear to have been spore from the Indian region. ~ The following is the pore of Lesne’s ; generic table eae to these two :— TABLEAU DES GENRES. i-4—Front indistinct on notablement plus court que l’épistome. Suture latérale prothoracique tonjours bien Benguee en arriére. 2-3—Front indistinct. _Deuxiéme article des antennes plus court | que le premier. Dernier segment ventral apparent de l’abdomen présentant aubord postérieur une échancrure en arc de cercle oi s’applique le bord postérieur du pygidium. Aire postérieure du pronotum ponctuée ° G. Dinoderus, Sega 3-2—Front distinct, de moitié plus court que l’épistome. Deuxiéme articledes antennes aussi long que le premier, Dernier segment ventral apparent de l’abdomen entier, arrondi au bord posterieur. Aire postérieure du pronotum converte de granules écrasés , G. eae Steph: C2 20 Indian Museum Notes. . £ Vol. VI. The habits of Dinoderus and Rhizopertha would appear to be ‘much the same. They live in and feed upon dead wood. Bamboos. are severely attacked by several species of the former genus. Genus Dinoderus, Stephens. Stephens, 1830, Ill. Brit. Ent., III, p. 352. Waterhouse, 1883, Ann. Nat. Hist., 1883, I, p. 348. Zoufal, 1894, Wien. Ent. Zeit., XIII, p. 35. Until 1888 the species of the Genus Stephanopachys were named: Dinoderus, Mr. C. O. Waterhouse pointed out this mistake and formed the genus Stephanopachys. 1. Dinoderus distinctus, Lesne. Lesne, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. Vol. LX VI, p. 325 (1897.) Longish, brown with a shght reddish tint at the base of the elytra. Front of head and funiculus without long erect hairs. 10- jointed antennz; second joint of club less than one and a half times as wide as long. Prothorax is rather shorter than in other Dinoderus, evenly rounded in front, widened near the base, its sides not parallel ; the lateral suture joined in front with the marginal teeth of the rasp-like anterior surface, these teeth being small, almost contigus ous, rounded, the two middle ones the largest. The posterior portion of the pronotum densely punctuate, especially in the middle, no.trace of median foveoles being present. Scutellum flat, dull, rec- tangular, less than twice as wide as long. Elytra parallel, slightly widened behind, more than twice as long as the prothorax, elytral, punetures deep, not distinctly ocellated, the punctures not coalescing in the dorsal region, less deep and coalescing on the posterior declivity, Suture not gaping in the declivity. The erect hairs on the elytra very short. Long 33 millim. Distrtbution.—The Dehra Dun plateau, United Provinces, Eleva- tion 2,000 feet (mihi). This is the first record of the insect existing in India. Specimens present in—Co//, Ind. Mus.; Coll. For. LEnt., Govt. of Ind. ; Coll. mihi. Life-History.— The beetle appears on the wing about the first week in May and oviposits in the smaller branches and twigs of the Mango (Mangifera indica) tree. It attacks only dying and dead wood, The beetles discovered were in pairs working together and they appeared to have entered the tree by the same entrance hole. This entrance tunnel is bored vertically down to the centre of the No. 1.] £. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region. ar branch and then the egg-gallery is taken up the twig approximately: at right angles to the former direction. This latter ‘gallery curves slightly. In the branches examined there were usually two beetles at work in this gallery. Several pairs of beetles will attack the same twig, In quite a small one three pairs were cut out on May r1ths 1902. I have not yet ascertained how many generations in the year there are, nor how long the insect takes to pass through one generation. 2 Dinoderus pilifrons, Lesne. Lesne, Ann. Soc, Ent. Fr., 1895, p. 170. Dinoderus sp, Ind. Mus. Notes. Vols. I. IV. Steb. Injur. Ins. Ind. For. p. 42, Dep. Not. Ins. aff. For. No. 2, p. 168. Long oblong, parallel, reddish brown, with the appendages and ‘the lateral edges of the abdomen lighter-coloured. Antennz Io- jointed ; second joint of the club rounded on the inner edge; funi- culus fringed with long light-red bristles. These latter also present --on front clypeal region and on the inner margin of the eye. The marginal row of the rasp-like anterior portion of the prothorax con- tains 8-10 more or less pointed teeth, of which the two middle ones -which are as large as the lateral ones are separated from one another. Punctuation of the posterior portion of the pronotum fine, rather dense, -and not ocellated; median foveeoles obsolete. Scutellum transverse, Punctuation of the elytra rather fine near the base, more marked, joined and areola-like on the posterior declivity where it is distinctly -ocellated. The suture slightly gaping and half keel-shaped on the -declivity. oa Length 33 to 3% millim. Larva.—Yellowish white, wrinkled, curved.. Mouth parts brownish, mandibles black. Thoracic segments greatly enlarged -swollen up forming almost a hood over head anteriorly. Three pairs of thoracic legs, anterior pair 3-jointed, robust and long ; posterior pairs less stout. Abdominal segments not swollen, narrower than thoracic ones forming almost a waist where they join on to thorax ‘but slightly broadening out behind. Length 3°2 millim, Pupa.—Exhibits all the characteristics of a Bostrichid pupa, Prothorax large, the head being bent right over and under it, the mouth parts lying pressed against the hind thoracic and anterior. abdominal segments, Head and prothorax dirty white; the toe jointed antenne and legs distinguishable. Abdominal segments yellow, wings white, bent round onto the underside of the body. Length 3 millim. 3 =. =e? 22 4 Indian Museum Notes. . [ Vol. VI.. Distributton.—Reported from Dehra Dun; Siwaliks (mihi) ; Belgaon. Probably throughout India. Specimens present in—Co//. Ind. Mus., Dehra Dun (Oldham) Siwaliks and Dehra (mihi), Calcutta (mihi). Also in Coll. For. Ent. and Coll. Steb. from same localities, Life-History.—This beetle attacks and breeds in sei. dying and freshly cut bamboos. I have found it infesting Dendrocalamus strictus in large numbers. This bamboo grows in clumps in the. Siwalik forests. Bamboos from these clumps were cut at the com- mencement of February and placed in a breeding box towards the end of March. In July the box was examined and found to be an inch deep in sawdust amongst which were enormous numbers of © the pilifrons beetles. The bamboos were riddled with holes and galleries and larvz were present in the latter. Many of the insects were left in the box with the bamboos up to November and during: the whole of this period beetles were always to be found alive both in the bamboos and in the sawdust at the bottom.! It would thus seem evident that the insect has several generations in the year, and itis probable that these overlap. This experiment was made at Dehra in r901. This year (1903) I found the beetles on April 25th flying over and setting upon and boring into the billets of a mixed wood stack at the Botanical Gardens, Calcutta. The beetles were ovipositing and! am of opinion that the eggs laid were those of the second generation of the year, since the 1goI experiments showed that eggs must have been laid in the bamboos cut at the beginning of February before the end of March, when they were shut up in the breeding box. ‘Therefore it is probable that the’ April beetles are. those of the first generation of the year matured from eggs laid in the bamboos during the latter part of February or in March, The natives of India have many superstitions about this and the other bamboo-boring insects. The one most generally believed and which is now receiving careful study is that bamboos cut when the moon is full are more severely attacked by the Dinoderus than those cut at other periods, It is considered that bamboos cut when the sap is low in them are less liable to attack. The beetle undoubt- edly causes serious loss in India, It is often to be found in large numbers in the bamboo superstructure of the thatch roofs so common in Indian bungalows. &, Dinoderus Par ciieiaeoneres Lesne, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. LX VI, 329 (1807). Fairly long, parallel, reddish brown, with the appendages and at. times the basal portion of the elytra lighter coloured. No long 1 Vide Departl. Not. Ins. aff. For. No. 2, p. 168 (1903). No. 1. £.P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region. 23 erect hairs upon the front clypeal region. Funiculus of antennz not fringed with hair. Second article of the club about one and a half times as wide as long, rounded on the inner angle. The teeth of the marginal row of the rasp-like anterior portion of the prothorax are not rounded, pointed at the tips, well separated from each other and Io in number, the middle ones more prominent than the outers Scutellum very shining, transversely keel-shaped. Punctuations confluent and areolate over the whole surface of the elytra except at the extreme base; the suture is bordered on each side on the declivity by a slight ridge. Closely allied to D. difoveolatus but is bigger and has a shorter prothorax. Long. 3$ millim. | Distribution.—Deccan, Trichinopoly, Madura, Unrepresented in aire collections. Life-History. —I can find no notes upon the life-history of ae species, 4, Dinoderous minutus, Fabr. Fabricius, 1775, Syst. Ent., p. 45. Olivier, 1790, Enc. méth., Ins., V, p. 111. Niles NAGS, \Dinlisy LINES INI@s Gy JOh iy joe WG substriatus Stephens, 1830, Ill. Brit. Ent., III, p. 352. siculus Baudi, 1873, Berl. Ent. Zeit., XVII, p. 336. Id., 1873, Ann. Mus. Gen., 1873, p. 265. btfoveolatus Zoufal (now Wollaston), 1894, Wien. ent. Zeit., XIII, p. 42. Dinoderus sp. Ind. Mus. Not. Vol. I. Steb. Inj. Ins. Ind. For., p. 42. Slightly elongated, brown with the dorsal portions of the bases of the elytra lizhter-coloured, occasionally almost reddish. The stiff hairs on the front clypeai region always few in number and very. short, Antennz to-jointed, the funiculus not fringed with hair ; the second joint of the club less than one and a half times as wideas long. The teethof the marginal row of the rasp-like anterior portion of the prothorax are more or less pointed at their tips, not set very close together, the middle ones more prominent than the side ones. Posterior portion of the sides of the pronotum strongly and thickly punctuate, but the punctures do not join and are finely ocellated ; median foveoles are well marked. The scutellum is dull and not keel-shaped. Elytra bristling with short reddish hairs becoming denser on the posterior declivities; when sufficiently magnified these hairs are thick, pyriform, and very pointed at their tips. Elytra thickly and densely punctuate, thicker and deeper 'The Bostrichus vertens Walker, 1859 (Ann. Nat. Hist. 1859, Vol. III, p-260) of Ceylon is a Dinoderus probably identical with either minutus or brevis. 24 Indian Museum Notes. {Vol. VI. on their basal portions than on the posterior declivity ; punctures on the declivity clearly ocellate; suture not prominent on the declivity- ‘Long. 24—3} millim. Larva.—Pale canary yellow, Opaque, curved, wriniledh the tho- acic segments swollen, the prothorax tapering sharply anteriorly to head. Latter small, orange-brown with black mandibles. Three pairs of longish three-jointed legs on thoracic segments, the lowest joints being clothed with scattered yellow bristly hairs anteriorly and ending in aclaw. Body tapers posteriorly to a blunt rounded point, Long, 3—32 millim. Pupa.— Resembles that of 2/zfrons but is smaller. Distribution.—Bombay Presidency (Andrewes), Calcutta (mihi) ; ‘Burma—Carin Cheba, goo to 1,100 metres; Teinzé in May, Bhamo in August (L. Fea). Lesne states it to be cosmopolitan in tropical regions. The commonest species of the genus andis at times found sin ports and large town in temperate climates. Specimens present in—Col/. Ind. Mus. Calcutia (mihi); Coll. For. Ent. ditto; Coll. Sted. ditto and Ceylon (latter received from _ British Museum). Life-History.—This insect has been so consistently confused with D. pilifrons in India that until recently it has been impossible to say certainly what its life-history really was. It was known to infest ‘bamboos and to not improbably often accompany ptlifrons. It was not, however, present in the bamboos from the Siwaliks, from ~which I bred the latter in 1901.1 It wassaid to be plentiful in houses in the Bombay Presidency, where it flies slowly about from December to January. It was also reported as boring into bamboo in Guada- Joupe, in the dry roots of Smilax dorbontca in the Island of Réunion and in lianas from Brazil in which cotton had been packed (Lesne). This year (1903) I have had an opportunity of properly studying the life-history of this insect in Calcutta and huve the following observations to record, I first noticed the beetles becoming plentiful towards the end of April, at which period they were egg laying. Bamboos in Calcutta were full of the beetles, which were also attacking ibamboos brought from the Garhwal Forests in North-Western. India, ‘These latter were being converted into telegraph posts. Careful watch was kept on some of these latter bamboos, selected at haphazard from the Government Telegraph workshops in Calcutta, and also on ther local ones. Notes have thus been recorded on the insect’s lifes history from the latter part of April to the end of October. My obs servations have shown me that the eggs laid towards the end of April a a ee te ee * Vide: Dep. Not. Ins,.aff;, For. No. 2, p..17 (1903). | No. 1.] £. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region, 25, give rise to a generation of beetles in the second or third week of June. These at once lay eggs which produce another generation of beetles towards the end of July. This generation on emerging lays eggs immediately and larve are to be found in the bamboos in August, a fresh generation of bectles issuing between the first and third weeks of September. These lay eggs from which another generation of beetles makes its appearance about the middle of October, this latter being the fifth generation produced in the year. The generae tions, however, although fairly well defined, overlap and it is possible to find beetles at any time between April and October. 5. Dinoderus brevis, Horn. Horn, 1878, Proc. Ann. Phil. Soc., XVII, p. 550. Greatly resembles minutus, F. Differs in its more convex form and in its 11-jointed antennz. Dorsal punctuation of the elytra less dense than in minuéus and not serried. The erect hairs on the posterior declivity of the elytra less dense and slightly longer, cylindrical or subclaviform, not pointed. Long. 24—34 millm. $ The two median teeth of the marginal row of the rasp-like anterior portion of the prothorax are larger, wider apart and more prominent than in the ¢@. Distribution.—Lesne gives its distribution as throughout India, Burma—Teinzé (in May), Rangoon (May-July) (L. Fea). Unrepresented in the collections. Life-History.—I can find no record of any observations upon the life-history. \ Genus Rhizopertha, Stephens. (See Table of Genera 1, 3), Stephens 1830, Ill. Brit. Ent., I1f, p. 354.—Wollaston, 1854, Ins. Mader. p. 286.—Lacordaire, 1857, Gen. Col., 1V, p. 534 and 541, J. Duval and Fairmaire, 1863, Gen. Col., III, p. 231. —Redtenbacher, 1872, Faun. austr., 3rd. ed., p. 06.— Kiesenwetter, 1877, Nat. Ins. Deutschl., Col., V, p. 40.—Lesne, Ann. Soc. Ent, Fr. 1897, p. 322, ; 6. Rhizopertha dominica, Fabr. Fabricius, 1792, Ent. Syst., I, 2, p. 359. pusilla Fabricius, 1798, Suppl. Ent. Syst., p. 156. Stephens, 1830, Ill. Brit. Ent., Il], p. 354. Fairmaire, 1850, Rev. et, Mag. de Zool. ze Sér., II, p. 50. Wollaston, 1854, Ins. Mader., p. 287. J. Duval 26 Indian Museum Notes. -[Vol. VI. et Fairmaire, 1863, Gen. Col., III, Pl. 57,£ 281. Redtenbacher, 1872, Faun. austr,, ge éd.,. II, p. 67. Kiesenwetter, 1877, Nat. Ins, Deutschi., Col., V, p. 41. Horn, 1878, Proc. Am, Phil. Soc., XVII, P. 550- picea Marsham, 1802, Ent. Brit., 1, p. 88. rufa Hope, 1845, Trans, Ent. Soc. Lond., IV, p. 16. Waterhouse, 1888, Ann. Nat. Hist., 1888, p. 349. Long, parallel, reddish-brown, Vertex very smooth and. shining, epistome finely and sparingly punctuate, Antennz 1o-jointed, the two first of equal length, the second article of the club transverse, angular on the inner edge. Prothorax nearly as wide as long, slightly wider behind, much rounded at the 4 angles; the teeth a the rasp very short, obtuse; those of the marginal row 12 or 14 in number, all similar to one another, forming a kind of scalloped crest ; lateral suture well marked on more than the posterior half, disappearing in front; no median foveoles. Scutellum squarish, slightly widened behind. Elytra with large deep punctures on the dorsal and lateral parts, the punctures being in regular striated rows; posterior declivity uniformly convex, studded with fine rasp- like granulations; suture only slightly prominent on the declivity. Elytra covered with short bristles incurved backwards. Long. 25-3 millim. Distribution.—Said to be cosmopolican ir in warm "policies, even more so than the Dinoderus minutus. In‘ India Andrewes found the insect in houses s (in Boni Brest: dency ?) Specimens present in Call Ind. Mus. Cale. India. Life-History.—The beetle has been found by Andrewes in December. Its food appears to be varied as in other parts of the world outside India it feeds upon ship’s biscuits and various. grains, besides dried vegetable substances 2a manufactured pro- ducts. It has been reported in India as attacking ested wheat (Triticum sativum), cholum (Sorghum vulgare) seed, and ship’s biscuits. No notes appear to have been’ recorded. upon its lifes history in India. | Tribe BOSTRICHIN&, © (See Table des Tribus 1*f 3*) The tribe is divided into three sub-tribes. a ; Characters.—The mouth of the -ostrtchin is built on two distinct plans according to the form and placing of the mandibles No. 1.) £. P. Stedbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region. aT present. In the first the mandibles are more or less attenuated in their upper halves and nearly always pointed at their tips and when in play they rub over one another, their ends crossing. Even when short and obtuse at the apex they retain their oblique position and. their tips do not meet in repose. In the second division the mandibles are shorter and more robust, as wide at their tips as in the middle, truncate at their ends. They move in the same plane and when at rest they meet one another along the whole length of their sides. ; The SBostrichine with mouth parts built on the first type (oxygnathes) form Lesne’s Bostrichine and Apating, those on the second plan (pachygnathes) his sub-tribe S7moxylonine. The Bostriching of the first type divide themselves into two. groups of which it is easy to define the limits. The absence of the long and thin ovipositor so constantly present in the females of the Stnoxylonine and Bostrichine sens. str. suffices of itself to. justify the separation of the sub-tribe Apatine as distinct from the other two. | In the Bostriching sens.-str. the mesosternum and metasternum meet at the exterior edge of the intermediate coxa except in 8 or Q species where these pieces are only very slightly apart. In the Apating the lateral edges of the meso and meta-sternum are markedly apart. The tarsal joints 2-4 of the Apating are furnished near the ends on their -under surfaces with dense and regular brushes of hairs. This is rarely found in the sub-tribe Bostriching sens. str. Sub-tribe Bostriching sens. str. I. Bostrichus. The sub-tribe Bostriching s. str. answers to the great genus Bostrichus as understood by Guérin-Méneville, Lacordaire and J. Duval. The limits of this genus had never been properly defined till Mr. Lesne’s memoir appeared. The following are the charac- ters :— a eee The labrum always very strongly transverse is at most as wide as. the median indentation of the anterior margin of the epistome. The prothorax has no lateral suture and is often prolonged into horns atthe anterior angles. Neither the portion of the prosternum situated in front of the anterior coxze, nor the intercoxal lobe of the meso-- sternum are thinned out into a blade-like edge. The abdomen has always five visible segments, the first four are simple and it is very- SOM rated Indian Museum Notes. . [Vol. VI. ‘rare for the last to be indented or foveolate. The intercoxal projec- ‘tion of the basal segment is widened into a flat facette on the ‘whole length of its ventral ridge except in Bostrichus capuctnus L. where this projection appears as a simple pinching of the sternal plate. Mr. Lesne notes that these characters are perhaps more superficial ‘than well marked and the genera based on them are therefore very ‘close to one another. They are, however, based not only on the. *relations of those genera to themselves but also to neighbouring groups, _ The group Bostrichus is divided into eleven genera, Bostrichus, ‘Schistoceros, Parabostrichus, Neoterius, Bostrichoplites, Dex- icrates, Lichenophanes, Heterobostrichus, Bostrtchopsis, Bostri= thulus and Sinoxylodes, of which representatives of only the genera Schistoceros, Lichenophanes, Heterobostrichus and Bostrichopsts -appear to have as yet been reported from India. The following are ‘Lesne’s characters of these four genera :— TABLEAU DES GENRES. 2-1—Saillie intercoxale du 1° segment apparent de l'abdomen presentant une facette plane ventrale dont les arétes marginales se continuent sans interruption avec les carie nules limitantes des cavités coxales. 3°-4—Articles de la massue antennaire parcourus sur chaque face par deux fins canalicules longitudinaux. Angles antérieur de l'épistothe pointus, plus ou moins aigus_.. é G. Schistoceros. 4-3—Articles de la massue anténnaire sans canalicules longitu» dinaux sur leur deux faces. 8-5—Meso et métasternum en contact au bord externe de la hanche intermédiaire. Prothorax sans rangée marginale de dents le long de son bord antérieur. 10-9g—Téte sans constriction postoculaire, Cadre buccal mois denté au-dessous des yeux. ‘ai-14—-Angles antérieurs de l'épistome obtus ou arrondis. Articles de Ja massue antennaire avec des taches pileuses nete tement délimitées. Pronotum généralement un peu excavé audessus de son bord antérieur, 13-12—-Episternites abdominaux non apparents. Nervure dorsale interne des élytres renflée et saillante prés dela base . G. Lichenophanes. ‘a4e11 —Angles antérieurs de l’épistome droits ou aigus, pointus, — 2 No.1.) £. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region. 29, ~— 15-16—Pronotum légérment excavé audessus du milieu de son bord antérieur. Artrcles de la massue antennaire sans. taches pileuses nettement délimitées - : G. Heterobostrichus. 16-1 5—Pronotum nullement excavé en avant. 17-18—Front ou déprimé en arriére, ou saillant au bord antérieur- par rapport al’épistome. Taille moyenne : 6-21 millim. G. Bostrichopsis.. The habits of the above genera would appear to be somewhat similar, but little is known upon the subject at present. Bamboos and the wood of the sal (Shorea rodusta), cotton tree (Bombax _ malabaricum), and Guava (Psidium Guava) have been reported as. infested by species of these genera, Genus Lichenophanes, Lesne. Lesne, An. Soc. Ent. Fr., 1898, p. 457. Forehead simple, generally not gibbous, flat or very slightly- depressed transversely at the level of the posterior edge of the eyes, sometimes gibbous in comparison with the epistome and sloping in front. Frontal clypeal suture straight or slightly arched, more or less well marked. Epistome truncate or hardly indented in front, its anterior angles obtuse or rounded. The buccal border without a tooth or prominent lobe beneath the eyes. Posterior edge of the eyes turned up, the temples forming beneath a re-enters. ing angle more or less weil defined. The joints of the antennal club each ornamented on either face with two or more well-defined velvety circular patches which are often golden coloured. Posterior angles of the prothorax well marked having the form of lobes or of more or less pointed tubercles. Sculpture of the posterior surface of the pronotum mixed with prominent granules and never having the appearance of imbricated scales. Elytra lobed or tuberculate on the basal portion on either side of the scutellum, their innermost: dorsal nervure swollen and prominent at least near the base. Fifth visible segment of the abdomen simple, rounded behind, and furnished’ laterally with a marginal channel. Posterior tibiz without long hairs on their external faces. Anterior tarsi shorter than the correspond-. ing tibia. This genus contains a large number of species which are remark- able for their varied colouring, the colouration often closely imitating the colour of bark or of tree lichens amongst which these insects pass. the greater part of their lives. It is probable that many unknown. species exist in the Indian Region. 30 Indian Museum Notes. . [Vol. VI. pee BE eS ¥, Lichenophanes khmerensis, Lesne. _ Lesne, 1896, An. Soc. Ent. Fr., 1896, p. SII. Ibid. 1898, 473. ? cavinatus Lewis, 1896, An. Nat. Hist., 6, XVII, p. 339. Elongate, parallel, the elytra slightly widened behind; brown splashed with red. Forehead fairly densely granulate and only slightly pubescent in front. Frontal clypeal suture indistinct on the sides, ‘well marked in the middle. - Epistome granulate and pubescent, ‘without long hairs, the anterior angles widely rounded. The eyes with a sharp angle behind. The golden blotches of velvety hair upon the divisions of the antennal club well marked. Prothorax ‘well rounded on its sides, narrowed in front and behind, its anterior angles prominent, pointed, but wide and depressed, the posterior angles prominent and pointed. Pronotum slightly excavated above its anterior edge; the prominent lateral teeth of the rasp 4 or 5 in number; the posterior space studded with big rounded granules and having a median central area. smooth and shining down the middle -of which a fine channel runs almost the whole length of the posterior — ‘space. Pubescence of the pronotum rufous, fairly dense. Elytra strongly and densely punctuate, subgranulous in the interspaces. Apical declivity without marginal tubercles, the apical angle being ‘simple ; suture well marked and hardly conspicuous on the declivity. Elvtral pubescence placed in patches of varying size, longitudinally compressed ; the hairs of which these patches consist are pressed down flat upon the integument. Punctuation and pubescence of the abdomen fine and dense. The second joint of the anterior tarsus is much shorter than the last, second and fifth joints of the posterior tarsus are sub-equal, Long. 9-113 mill. Distribution.—The British Museum contains one specimen from the Andaman Islands. Unrepresented in Coll, Ind. Mus., etc. A closely allied species as yet insufficiently known.—Dostrichus carinatus, Lewis (sub Apate), named from a single individual from the Andaman Islands (Coll. Gorham) is closely allied to £h merenszs. It is larger, has not the central shining space with its fine channel on the posterior surface of the pronotum and has the sides of the thorax, according to the original description, parallel and is 13 millim, in length. 4 Genus Schistoceros, Lesne. Lesne, Rev. des Bostr.3 Mem.in An. Soc. Ent, Fr., Vol. LXVII, p. 502 (1898). . Amphicerus Leconte, 1861, Class. Col. N. Amer., p. 208. (pavtim).—Horn, 1878, Proc. An. Phil. Soc., XVII, p. 541 et 546. Caenophrada Waterhouse, 1888, An. Nat. Hist., 1888, 1, P- 350 (ad part No. 1.] £. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region, 31 _Cylindrical. Front simple or gibbous anteriorly, sometimes slightly depressed behind, Anterior angles of epistome sharp, ‘pointed. The buccal border without a prominent tooth beneath the eyes, Articulations of the antennal club are provided with two long ‘fine longitudinal channels on each face. Prothorax markedly narrowed in front, not hollowed out above its anterior margin. Elytra without prominent dorsal nurvures. Meso and metasternum meet at the: outer edge of the intermediate coxa. The fifth apparent abdominal segment simple. Sometimes slightly sinuate in the middle of the posterior margin. _ . The species of the genus are divided by Lesne into four divisions. Only one Indian species appears to be yet known, so it is at present unnecessary to consider these different divisions here. 7 Schistoceros anobioides, Waterh. Waterhouse, 1888, An. Nat. Hist., 1888, I, p. 350 (2) (sub Caenophrada). ' Lesne, 1897, An. Belg., 1897, p. 18 (4). Id. 1898, An. Fr., p. 519. ~ This species is very closely allied to a Malay and also a Chinese ‘one, S. malayensts and S. cznophradotdes, both of which may prove ‘to be inhabitants of the Indian Region proper. Long. 12-18 millim. Dark brown to black; anterior edge of ‘the prothorax covered with a bright red pubescence; pubescence ‘on under-surface of insect rufous and dense. Prothorax not as wide as long and markedly narrower in front, rounded on the sides and at the posterior angles, The posterior space of the pronotum covered with imbricate scales (dS) or flat granulations (?), Forehead very finely and slightly punctured, crescent-shaped when looked at from behind. Apical declivity of the elytra with two marginal tubercles on each side, less marked in 2; unpunctured on their lower half, ‘their lower border joined aOR their whole length with the edge of the elytra. _ Inthe ¢ the punctuation on the elytra is slighter’and the eyes are distinctly larger than in S. malayanus and czenophradoides. Some females are rendered remarkable by having an elytral sculpture which becomes rasp-like owing to the development of small tuber- cles in the intervals of the punctuation, In both sexes elytra are ‘covered with a very fine and short rufous pubescence. The chief character of this species is furnished by the confarma- tion of the antennze of the @. Distribution.—I\ndia: Bengal —Calcutta, Dinapur, Chota Nason Hazaribagh; Central Province eecnaeae Bombay— Belgaum, (in March), Canara, Sind; Madras: Ceylon: Burma, 732 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI. Coll. Ind, Mus. Calc.—Hazaribagh, Bhadra: Col/. Steb.—Karacht Museum. ; Life-History.—In Indian Museum Notes, Vol. [I, p. 150, this species is said to tunnel into the wood of guava trees. Trees in Hazaribagh were reported to be so infested. This information is very meagre and it is not stated whether the trees were dying or dead. Although the species would appear to be widely distributed in India, nothing further upon its life-history has been observed. Genus Bostrichopsis, Lesne. Lesne, Rev. des Bostr. 3rd Mem. in An. Soc. Ent. Fr., Vole LXVII,'p. 524 (1898). Body cylindrical. Cephalic capsule without a post-ocular constric- tion. Head not regularly convex above, its dorsal profile not forme ing an arc of acircle, Buccal border not indented beneath the eyes. Articulations of the antennal club with more or less well-marked golden yellow velvety patches. Prothorax not hollowed out over its anterior edge. This latter with no marginal row of teeth. Its ‘posterior angles round or straight, not lobed. Elytra without keel shaped processes or tubercles in front. Last visible segment of the body rounded behind. The Bostrychopsis are of small size and brown colour and are spread over all the warmer parts of the world, with the exception of apparently C. America and the Pacific Archipelago. The peculiarity about the genus is that there are several different forms of ¢ and @ present. According to their mutual affinities, Mr. Lesne divides the different specific forms of this genus into six groups. His groupsI and II consist of those species confined to the Old World. His ‘group III of one species B. Fesuzta, which he confines to Australia but which the writer has found in India, Mr. W. F.H. Blandford having identified my specimens in the British Museum in 1897. Species of group I donot appear to have been yet reported from India. The following are the characters of group II :— Heteromorphous ¢: Body generally larger and thicker than the 9. Forehead simple, the frontal clypeal suture obsolete on the sides, sunk inthe middle. Prothorax larger than in the 9, prolonged at its. anterior angles into horns strongly curved downwards and recurved. at their tips. Apical declivity of the elytra wider than that of the 2 ard furnished on each side with two marginal callosities. The pleural parts of the last visible segment of the abdomen generally No. 1.] 2. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region. 33 plainly visible and reddish or rufous in colour. Long hairs on the under-surface of the tarsi are numerous. Heteromorphous ¢ : Forehead nearly plain or lightly gibbous and deflexed at its anterior edge. Frontal clypeal suture well marked. Prothorax smaller than in the @, truncate in front, its outer angles not prolonged into horns. The marginal callosities of the apical declivity of the elytra absent or only very slight, tifth apparent segment of the abdomen with a thick fringe of red hair inthe middle of the posterior edge. The long hairs on the under side of the tarsi rarely present. Homeomorphous 6: Head and prothorax as in the heteromor- phous?. Elytra as in the heteromorphous ¢. Homeomorphous ?: Anterior angles of the prothorax prolonged into horns which are less well developed than in the -heteromor- phous ¢. Otherwise resembles the heteromorphous ?. The members of this group appear to be confined to the warmer parts of the Old World. 8. Bostrichopsis parallela, Lesne. Lesne, An. Soc. Ent. Fr., 1898, p. 5346 Bostrichus parallelus, Lesne, An. Soc. Fr., 1895, p. 174. Steb. Dept. Not. Ins. For. No. 2, p. 174. Dorsal punctures of the elytra well marked, becoming slightly more dense on the apical declivity. The second joint of the posterior tarsus is distinctly wider than the last. The deep punctures on the dorsal surface of elytra often become elongated near the suture, In the @ the forehead is finely and densely pubescent in the centre but not gibbous. The apical declivity with a weak border becoming more marked near the sutural angle. Length 6—15 millim, The prothorax is smaller than in @; generally it is nearly square, truncate and slightly sinuous on its anterior margin and the sides of the body are parallel. But small 2 exist also heteromorphous, of which the body is shorter, not parallel, the prothorax rounded on its edges andthe elytra slightly widened behind. The punctuation of the abdomen of these small @ is less dense than in the typical @ and the anterior margin of their prothorax is at times slightly indented. Three kinds of ¢ are present : first, the normal heteromorphous g, in which the anterior angles of the prothorax are prolonged into horns which are curved downwards and have a glabrous outer sur- face. In the elytra the apical declivity bears the four ordinary marginal costiform callosities. On each side the lateral callosity is conterminous with the lower border which is well marked as in B, D 34 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI. fonsa; but, ordinarily, this lateral calus is situated inside of the curve which prolongs the lower border. 2nd.—A homeomor- phous ¢ remarkable for the singular mixture of the @ and ¢ characters. Its forehead is slightly turned up in front as in the 9 and clothed in the middle as in her case with a light-coloured close pubescence but the area over which this is spread is less than in the ?. The prothorax, which in its general form and size is that of the normal ¢ has no horns. In their place on each side there are present two teeth, turned up and placed close together of which the inner one is slighly narrower than the outer; between these teeth the anterior edge is slightly indented. The elytra are also by their size the elytra of the ¢ but they have no marginal callosities on the lateral edges of their apical declivity and the two callosities of the upper edge are hardly perceivable. Below the declivity shows a pro- minent and thick border, diverging latérally from the edge of the elytra. 3rd.—A series of forms, also homeomorphous, in which the head and the prothorax are shaped as in the preceding @ in all except that at times the inner tooth of the anterior angle of the prothorax is absent, but in which the apical declivity of the elytra is furnished with marginal callosities more or less prominent. Distribution.—Indian Region. Throughout the Deccan, Central Provinces (Raipur) ; Chota Nagpur (Singbhum); Bengal; Assam. Coll. Ind. Mus. Cale.—Calcutta: Coll. For. Ent.—Raipur: Coll, Steb.—Raipur, Calcutta. Life-History.—This insect was found boring in June into cut -and stacked bamboos (Dendrocalamous strictus) by the late Mr. A. M.Long of the Imperial Forest Service in the Raipur Forests of the Central Provinces. The beetle was probably egg-laying in the bamboos,! Mr. Lesne mentions that Quérin-Méneville found it in the roots of Smzlax china This appears to be all the information at present available on the life-history of this insect. A live specimen was brought to me to the Museum in Calcutta about the middle of May of this year (1903). It was found ina street. This proves that it is on the wing in May in this locality. 9. Bostrychopsis bengalensis, Lesne. Lesne, An, Soc. Ent, Fr. 1898, p. 537. Bostrichus bengalensts, Lesne, An. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1895, p. 174 (om 1 Vide Dep. Not. Ins. For. No. 2, p.174. (1903. 2 Mr. Lesne remarks that this is probably Quérin-Méneville’s Bostrichus Tho- yelt (An. Fr., 1845, Bull. p. xvi), of which he published no descriptio . No. 1.] £.P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region. 35 Differs from B. parallela in having the 2nd tarsal joint uot or only very slightly wider than the last. The scales on the centre of the posterior surface of the pronotum are a little larger. 92. Forehead without pubescence, Body more elongate than above species. The abdominal punctuation is very fine and less dense in the middle than at the sides. Length g} to 12 millim. Only the g is known. The species is closely allied to B. parallela and wfints. The absence of the dense frontal pubescence dis- tinguishes it at once. In addition the 2 is not a heteromorphous one like those of the above mentioned species: the anterior angles of its prothorax are prolonged into horns curved downwards and recurved at their tips. The absence of the frontal pubescence distinguishes it at the first glance from B, paratlela. Distribution.—-Bengal, Chota Nagpur, Mynpoore, Sind. Unrepresented in Col/. Ind. Mus. Calc., etc. Life-History.— Little appears to be known under this head at present. Characters of Group III (see above). Differs from Group II in the posterior tibize bearing some hairs on their outside edge. The golden velvety patches on the articulations of the antennal club well-marked. The marginal groove of the elytra gradually thinning out behind. The deep pits on the back of the elytra reniform in shape near the suture. . Heteromorphous ¢. Prothorax prolonged into horns at the extreme angles. The posterior surface of the pronotum furnished with a sculpture resembling imbricate scales. The apical declivity of the elytra with only one marginal callosity on each side, the upper one being absent. (Mr. Lesne adds to this—Beneath the lateral calus, in the case of the @ only, an additional calus is present, triangular, shining, and separated from the edge of the elytra by the marginal groove.) . Heteromorphous 9. Anterior edge of the prothorax truncate or slightly indented, the anterior angles not prolonged into horns, only indicated or toothed on the outside. The posterior surface of the pronotum covered with flat granulations. Marginal callosities of the apical declivity obsolete or less marked than in the 6. HHomeomorphous ¢. Resembles the preceding one but has the anterior angles of the prothorax prolonged into horns less curved and much shorter than those of the ¢. 10. Bostrichopsis jesuita, Fabr. Fabricius, 1775, Syst. Ent., p. 54.—/d., 1792, Ent. Syst., I, 2, p. 361.—Boisduval, 1835, Voy. Astrol., II, p. 461. D2 36 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol, VI. ' Canarit Nérdlinger, 1880, Lebensw. von Forstkerf., 2e éd., Append., p. 66. Bostrichus jesuita, Steb. Inj. Ins. Ind. For. p. 42 (1899). Lesne, An. Soc. Ent. For., 1898, p. 539. Length 11—19 millim.—Black. Elytra very slightly widened behind inthe ¢. Forehead slightly depressed. Frontal clypeal suture quite distinct in the middle. Dorsal punctuation of the elytra very dense and large. The marginal groove of the elytra gradually thins out behind. . ¢@. Forehead smooth and shining in the middle, punctate on the sides and on the anterior edge. Epistome finely punciuate. Prothoracic horns parallel, curved downwards at aright angle. Pos- terior angles of the prothorax granulated. Scutellum shining, tuber- cular, with a few deeply marked pits. The dorsal pits on the elytra reniform in shape. Apical declivity of the elytra slightly concave, less densely puncuate than the dorsal portions, the punctuation thin- ning out below. Suture slightly prominent on the declivity. Abdomen densely punctuate and densely and finely pubescent. Posterior tarsi with long hair, their joints 2 and 5 sub-equal. 9 Body longer than that of the 6. The middle of the forehead has a fine and scattered punctuation, rasp-like except right in the centre, where it is smooth. Apical declivity of the elytra not concave, at least as densely punctuate on its upper half as the dorsal area of the elytra ; lateral callosity of the elytra hardly indicated, the lower border less thick than in the g. Posterior tarsi without long hairs, their second joint distinctly longer than the last. Transitional forms between the heteromorphous and the homeomorphous @ occur, but they appear to be rare, The eyes are smaller in the @ than in the Q; their size varies greatly in the latter sex. Distributton.—Lesne gives the whole uf Australia as the habitat. Specimens, however, which! procured in Chota Nagpur in 1897 were identified for meas this species by Mr. Walter F. Blandford in that year. Therefore I add—/zdia.—Chota Nagpur (Singbhum),} Coll. Ind. Mus. Calc., etc-, unrepresented. Life-History.—Little is known on this subject. The writer found the insect boring into the posts and rafters of Sal (Shorea vobusta) in newly constructed forest rest houses in Chota Nagpur between March and June 1897. The @ bore into the wood and oviposit there! Lesne states that this is the insect of which Nérdlin- 1 In the face of a recently received letter from Mr, Lesne in which he says that he has never seen or heard of other specimens of this species from India endeavours will be made to procure my original specimens for submissal to him. No. 1.] &. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of theIndian Region. 37 ger found an immature and dead specimen in the sapwood of Canarium australianum, M. Olliff callsit a ‘bark borer’ and says it attacks the pepper-tree and the White Cedar.? Genus Heterobostrichus, Lesne. Body cylindrical or a little depressed. Head without constriction at the level of the posterior edge of the eyes. Anterior angles of the epistome pointed, straight or obtuse (7. aegualis). Under lip trapezoid, simple in the two sexes. The articulations of the antennal club without well-defined velvety patches. Prothorax markedly nar- rower in front, slightly hollowed out above the middle of its anterior edge. Elytia without prominent~dorsal! nervures, not granulated or toothed at their lower apical edge, their marginal grooves sharply terminated before the apex, Meso and metasternum are in contact on the outside edge of the intermediate coxa. The intercoxal projec- tion of the first abdominal segment. showing a flat ventral facette. Fifth segment of the abdomen simple. No long stiff hairs on the external edge of the tibie. The species of this genus inhabit the warm portions of the Old World. ‘They belong to four well-marked divisions which have the following characters :— Group I.—The frontal-clypeal suture obsolete. No re-entering angle at posterior edge of the eyes. Posterior angles of the prothorax generally rounded. Anterior tarsi with a fringe of light coloured hairs on the inner edge. _ Heteromorphous g. Forehead simple, with a rectilinear profile. Prothorax large with a prominent hook at each anterior angle. The posterior surface of the pronotum furnished with a sculpture resem- bling imbricate scales. On each side of the upper edge of the apical declivity of the elytra there are two tubercles of which the inner one is hook-like. ? . Forehead furnished with a velvety gipbosity which encroaches on the epistome. Prothorax smaller, slightly indented on its exterior edge, its interior edges marked but not prominent. Apical declivity of the elytra without marginal tubercles. Homeomorphous ¢. Forehead as in 2; differs from heteromor- phous @ in having the uncus of the anterior angles of the prothorax at times replaced by a simple upturned tooth. Two species are known.—/. untcornis and H. pileatus—both Indian, 1 Vide note on this insect in Inj. Ins. Ind. For. p. 42 (1899). 2 Insect Life, IV, Nos. g-10, 1892, p. 204. 38 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI. 11. Heterobostrichus unicornis, Wat. Bostrichus unicornis, Waterhouse, 1879, An. Mag, Nat. Hist. 5th Ser., III, p. 361. Fairmaire, 1893, Ann. Belg. 1893, p. 539. Lesne Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1898, p. 558. Prothorax as wide as long. Elytra glabrous, with well-marked punctuation. ¢. Transverse diameter of the frontal arc does not cover enequaiter of the inter-ocular space. Long. 93—11$ millim.—Long, parallel, dark brown ee thighs slightly reddish and the antennal club rufous. Elytra glabrous. Heteromorphous ¢ unknown. ?. Head furnished above with a tubercle densely hairy, situated in the passage of the frontal clypeal suture and encroaching both on the forehead and on the epistome. The diameter of this tubercle does not cover a quarter of the space between the eyes. Punctuation on forehead very fine and dense. Prothorax slightly rounded at sides, greatest width in middle; anterior margin slightly indented, the indentation bounded on either side by an erect but not prominent tooth; posterior angles rounded. The middle of the posterior space of the pronotum covered with fine and dense flattened granulations. Elytral punctuation well marked, homogeneous, not in regular lines, Apical declivity depressed on either side of the suture, the latter not prominent. Sutural angle shining and not punctuate. Apexof elytra slightly turned up, Intercoxal lobe of the mesosternum with a fine median kee]. Abdominal punctuation fine and dense, the pubescence being excessively fine. Joints 2 and 5 of the posterior tarsi sub-equal, Homeomorphous @. The type of the species is a homeomorphous 6. Head as in 2 but elytra furnished on either side on the upper edge of the apical declivity with two tubercles, the outer one simple, the inner larger and prolonged into a robust horn curved inwards, Distributton,—India: Canara in Bombay Presidency. (Taken by C. R. D. Bell), Madras, Rangoon. Coll. Ind. Mus. Calc.—Andaman Islands, Calcutta. Life-f/istory.—Nothing appears to be known about this. 13, Heterobostrichus pileatus, Lesne. Lesne, Ann, Soc. Ent. Fr., 1898, p. 550. Prothorax longer than wide. Elytral punctuation less well marked, @. Tranverse diameter of the frontal arc covers more than a third of the inter-ocular space. | Length, 9—11 millim. Very similar to wxécornmis. Prothorax is. widest slightly behind the middle. In the ? the arc or hoop is much No. 1.] 2. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichidz of the Indian Region. 39- larger than in x#scornts; prothorax is narrower, anterior angles less well-defined, posterior angles are more widely curved. Hairs on the anterior tarsi double the length. Abdominal punctuation finer. Heteromorphous ¢: Head and prothorax larger than in¢?. Foree head simple, smooth and shining in the middle, Anterior angles of the prothorax each furnished with an uncus which bounds on either side a median narrow and shallow indentation. The lower marginal tubercle of apical declivity of the elytra only slightly developed, compressed and not conterminous with the lower edge, the upper tubercle much larger, prolonged into a horn curved downwards and inwards. For the description of the homeomorphous 6! see above under- description of group. Distributton.—India: Canara (Bombay Presidency); Tharra- waddi (Burma). Coll, Ind. Mus. Cale.—Cochin. Life-History.—Nothing appears to be known at present. Group JJ].—Forehead similar in the two sexes, Epistome convex and a little swollen, The frontal clypeal suture obsolete and not sunken in the middle. Anterior angles of epistome obtuse, not prominent but pointed at the top. Eyes slightly turned upwards behind, Posterior angles of the prothorax marked, often lobed. The posterior surface of the pronotum showing deep impressed pits and adorned in the middle with a more or less defined sculpture resembling imbricate scales. Apical edge of the elytra prolonged and slightly turned back. Fifth abdominal segment fringed with long rufous hairs in the middle of its posterior margin, Second tarsal — joint of posterior feet shorter than the last. Heteromorphous @: Prothorax larger, the posterior surface of the pronotum with very scattered punctuations. Apical declivity of elytra furnished above on each side with two marginal tubercles. of which the inner one is hook-like. @. Prothorax smaller. The posterior surface of the pronotum densely punctuate. Apical declivity of the elytra without marginal tubercles. Homeomorphous ¢: Prothorax as in the ?. The inner upper marginal tubercle of the apical declivity much less developed than in the heteromorphous g. Only one species as yet described—/, aequalts. 14. Heterobostrichus aequalis, Wat. Waterhouse, 1884, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1884, p. 215, Pl. XVI, ie BAe) 2) * One specimen taken at the Seven Pagodas, Tonkin. 40 indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI. uncipennis, Lesne, 1895, An. Fr, 1895, p. 173 (6 @). ?papuensts, MacLeay, 1886, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. W., 2nd Ser., p- 154 (2). . Bostrichus aequalis, Ind. Mus, Not. V. 1. 34. Pl. IIl, fig. 7. Lesne, An. Fr., 1898, p. 560. Long. 6—13 millim. Parallel, very slightly depressed, of a more or less dark brown colour, often rufous, glabrous beneath; thighs often reddish. Forehead and epistome rasp-like, the punctures being irregularly distributed with very short and not thick pubescence. Elytra strongly and densely punctuate, the pits arranged in fairly regular rows of stri#; punctuation of the apical declivity variable. Apical edge of the eiyces turned back and furnished with a border thickened laterally and separated from the edge of the elytra. Abdomen with a very firm and very dense punctuation, rasp-like, its pubescence very fine, and not easily perceivable. Second tarsal joint of hind legs much shorter than the last. Most of the different sexual characteristics have been given above. Heteromorphous 2. The pro- thorax is sometimes wider than the elytra, its posterior angles not being, or only very slightly, lobed and the tooth of the interior angles is generally more prominent than inthe other forms. The spacing of the large sunken pits on the posterior surface of the pronotum allows of the ground sculpture being seen which appears like imbri- cate scales, shining, and with finely marked contours. Apical decli- vity of elytra shows on either side on its upper edge, a longish tooth, slightly inclined towards the long axis of the body and curved inwards above. Outside of this sort of uncusis a costiform callosity# In the @ prothorax is smaller, its posterior angles are nearly always lobed ; the deep pits which cover the posterior surface of the pronotum are so close together as to obliterate any other sculpture. On either side of the upper edge of the apical declivity of the elytra there are ouly two costiform callosities, very little prominent. Males are to be found much smaller than the ordinary heteromorphous @ and having a proportionately smaller prothorax resembling that of the 2. In these the elytral tooth is short and not, or hardly, curved or it may even be replaced by a simple prominent edge.*? But this homeomorphous form is not fixed and all gradations are found. Further, this elytral tooth of the ¢, even when well developed, is very variable. More or less wrinkled and punctuate at its base, it is at times simple, regularly arched and thinned out at its tip, or it is furnished near the middle of its posterior face with a tubercle which 1 These elytral teeth and callosities are similar to those of the males of H. unicornis and pileatus and similar ones are not to be found in any other Bostrichids. * One specimen from Soembawa (Coll, Bedel). No. 1.] £. P. Stebbing—On the Bostrichide of the Indian Region. 41 gives it the appearance of being bifurcated. The punctuation of the apical declivity of the d may be greatly or less well-marked and dense, @ are to be found in which the upper inner callosity of the declivity is replaced by a costiform tubercle very short but pointed and well-marked. These 9 resemble greatly certain ¢. Larva.—White, curved, with brown-black head and three pairs of jointed legs. Disiributton.—India: Sutlej; environs of Simla; British Bhutan; Maria Basti; Calcutta (mihi) ; Calicut (Madras) ; Bhamo; Tharra- waddi. Coll. Ind. Mus. Calc.— Calicut (Madras) ; Coll, Steb.— Andamans (received from Br. Mus.), Singbhum (Chota Nagpur), Calicut, (Madras). Life-Htstory.— The beetle has been reported as tunnelling into and laying its eggs in the wood of Bombax matabaricum at Calicut. As this wood is used for tea boxes by planters on the west coast of Madras, the damage caused is considerable. The adult insect is to |e found on the wing in May-June. Group [1[.—Front not at all depressed, epistome not swollen, the profile of the upper part of the head describing in both sexes a regular curve. Frontal clypea! suture well marked in the middle. Eyes very slightly turned upwards behind. Posterior angles of the prothorax straight or obtuse, nearly always pointed at the top and sometimes a little lobed in the @. Apical edge of the elytra not reflexed. Second and fifth tarsal joints of posterior legs subequal. @. Anterior angles of the prothorax prolonged into upturned horns. The centre of the posterior surface of the pronotum covered with scales. Apical declivity of the elytra furnished on each side with a marginal apophysis. The pleurites of the last abdominal seg- ment more visible. ?., Anterior angles of the protho:ax furnished with only one erect large tooth. Centre of the posterior surface of the pronotum covered with rasp-like granulations. Apical declivity of the elytra showing on either side a marginal callosity,. One species only—A. hamatipennis. Heterobostrichus hamaitipennis, Lesne. Lesne, 1895, An. Fr., 1895, p. 873 (6 2). An. Fr., 1898, p. 562; nifonensis, Lewis, 1896. An. Nat. Hist. Sér, 6, vol. XVII, p. 339 (¢). Frontal clypeal suture strongly depressed in the middle, Eyes slightly inclined behind. ¢ with prothoracic horns. Long. 9—154 millim. Parallel, fairly large, robust; dark brown with thighs at times reddish. Upper part of the body covered witha 42 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol, VI. rufous pubescence, very short and sparse, denser near the anterior edge of the pronotum and, in the @, on the apical declivity of the elytra, which often appears as if covered with a sort of yellowish pulverescence. The pubescence on the scutellum dense, often appearing as a well-marked light coloured blotch. Ventral pubescence less short and more abundant than that of the upper part of the body. Head large. Forehead more or less punctuate, or rasp-like. Epistome densely pubescent, especially in the ¢, with a fine longitu- dinal keel in the middle. Labrum pubescent above. Scuipture of the posterior surface of the pronotum fairly large, rasp-like, consisting of scaloidal tubercles more prominent in the @. Posterior angles of the prothorax generally straight, pointed, rarely rounded at times slightly lobed in the ¢. Dorsal punctuation of the elytra well marked and dense and arranged in regular series. | 3. Apical declivity is usually less strongly and less densely punctuate than the back of the elytra and has, on each side, a marginal subcylindrical apophysis, fairly thick, and obliquely truncate at the top and pointed on the inside. The lower border of the declivity plain, shining and detached laterally from the edge of the elytra. Joints 2-4 of the anterior tarsi furnished with long hairs beneath. ?. Eyes larger, apical declivity as strongly or more strongly — punctuate than the dorsal region, the punctuation being very closely serried; marginal processes replaced each by a callosity ; the lower border not laterally distinct from the edge of the elytra, Anterior tarsus without long hairs beneath, This species is fairly variable as far as the sculpture and dorsal pubescence are concerned, also with regard to the form of the anterior indentation and the posterior angles of the prothorax and above all as to the shape of the elytral apophyses of the ¢, whose position with reference to the suture also varies to a certain extent, H{. hamatipennis forms the transitional form between the present genus and the next one, the Bostrichopsis. The 6 has in fact many of the characters of the heteromorphous Bostrichopsis 6 : cephalic profile, frontal-clypeal suture, clypeal pubescence, prothoracic horns, and the visibility of the pleurites of the last apparent segment of the abdomen, Distribution.—India—Jhelum Valley; Dehra Dun; Sikkhim ; British Bhutan ; Maria Basti ; Sylhet ; Maissour (?}, Ceylon, Coll, Ind. Mus. Calc.—Jhelum Valley ; Coll. Steb.—Sylhet (from Br. Mus. Coll.); Cold. Green—Yatiyantota (Ceylon). Life-History.—Nothing appears to have been recorded on this point, } No. 1.] H.W. Peal—Two pests of the Indigo Plant. 43 6, A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON TWO SERIOUS PESTS OF THE INDIGO PLANT.}? | By H.W. Pear, EES. Assistant Entomologist, Indian Museum. Thanks to the pains-taking work undertaken by the late Mr. de Nicéville in Behar in 1901 a large number of the Lepidopterous pests of Indigo have been discovered and in some cases worked up. There are, however, in addition to these pests several others which undoubtedly do great damage, at any rate in some districts. To mention some of the more important: there are several - species of grasshoppers, including some of the green long horned species (Family Locustidz), a membracid (order Hemiptera), an aleurodid (order Hemiptera), an aphid (order Hemiptera). Two species of chrysomelid beetles (order Coleoptera) and a cricket (Gryllus sp. order Orthoptera) and a speciesof thrips (order Phy- sopada). So far as my present observations go, jade from the amount of damage done in the eure the Chrysomelid beetles do but little injury. The membracid and the aleurodid, though occurring on both native. and Natal plants, are without doubt primarily pests on the latter, and though not excessively numerous, might, with the in- creased use of Natal plant (which is probable), become serious here- after. I have but little doubt that taken all round the various species of grasshoppers are among the most serious of the insect pests on indigo. They are not confined to any particular districts, occur in the indigo fields in amazing numbers and are apparently regardless of weather conditions, as | have found them abundant both durine the dry hot months and also during the rains. A cricket (Grydlus sp.) is very abundant in some of the indigo districts. It forms burrows all over the indigo fields, sometimes so thickly that several burrows occur in a square foot. Not only are they destructive owing to their numbers but also because of the habit they have of biting off the young indigo plants from near the ground in order to feed on the leaves. In some districts (the southern ones) where the rainfall is either late or scanty, the most serious pests undoubtedly are the Aphid and the Thrips. \ ' This Report is the outcome of atour paid by the Assistant Entomologist to the Indigo Districts in May 1902.—Zd. 44 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI. In May at -Peberenda, Dalsingsarai, I found the indigo in the neighbourhood to be seriously damaged by these pests. I was in- formed that the plants had been attacked by these insects ever since the 2-leaf stage, There is but little doubt that when the plant is in its g- or 7-leaf stage the aphid causes the death of many of the plants. I almost invariably found that plants free from thrips and aphid were comparatively robust and healthy, while these insects occurred in numbers on stunted indigo plants. I should estimate that on anaverage healthy and unaffected plants were from four to six times taller than infested plants. Taking these pests in detail._— The /ndigo aphid. The Indigo aphid is an insect belonging to the family Aphidz (plant lice) of the order Hemiptera or bugs. It can be immediately distinguished in the winged state from the indigo psyllid (Psylla 1s7stis, Buckton) by the venation of the wings. As a matter of fact winged specimens of Psylla istst?s have never been found. The venation, however, will agree in general characters with the psyllid type, but I am not certain, until the winged adult is discovered, under what sub-family of the Psyllide, Psylla zsistis will fall. The wingless specimens can be distinguished by their globular bodies, the body of Psylla isistts being flattish in the larval and pupa stages. [he aphids vary from light green to brown in colour. The winged specimens are dark brown. The wings are transparent and the veins show as brown lines. (See Plate IV, fig. 12, 12 a, 12 6.) These insects cluster in large numbers upon the indigo stems, terminal shoots and leaves, So thickly are they crowded together that it is usually impossible to see the stem itself. In May, though the greater number of the aphids were wingless, winged ones were present. I am unable to say how many generations the aphid passes through from the time the indigo appears above ground to the commencement of the rains, but it is probably several. As how- ever, weather conditions, climate and the like, have great influence on the number of generations, there is little value in working the matter up beyond discovering the average number of generations in this period. It is important, however, to discover its alternative food plant or plants if any. In my opinion this insect does a great deal of harm, especially in those years when rainfall is late and scanty as the plant is unable to recuperate from the attack of the aphids. This damage I should estimate can run up for the first mahai to as far as 4 or 6 annas of the crop, and in some cases Possibly more. All the plants I examined, which were very No, 1.] H. W. Peal—Two pests of the Indigo Plant. 45 small, averaging some 2 or 24 inches in ‘height’ instead of some 18 inches, the average size at the time, I invariably found to be thickly covered with aphids. 1 should estimate that on an average 29 to 30 per cent of the crop was in this state. These plants being so miserably stunted are unnoticed, except in open bare spots and no Suspicion is aroused as to the extent of the injury. The taller and healthier plants were all free or practicaliy free from the pest. At Turkawlia, in the Chumparan district, where there was plenty of rainin May, I found no traces of the aphid itself, but observed on stunted plants the remnants of the cast off skins of the aphids, These occurred on the stunted plants, which had their vitality so much sapped that despite the rain they were unable to recover thoroughly. I am unable to recommend the use of kerosene emulsion for several reasons, the most important being that the infested plants are overshadowed by their healthier neighbours; they would there- fore be but imperfectly sprayed. There would besides be a great wastage of the emulsion owing to the greater part of it being sprayed on the healthier plants. I observed that the aphid was attacked by at least two insects. First, by the larvze of a species of Diptera, probably of a species of Syrphus. 1 was unable, however, to rear it. These did not appear to be present in any great numbers and appeared to do but little in checking the aphid. IT also observed the ladybird Chilomenes sexmaculatus Fabr. in fair numbers. They appear to check the aphids to an appreciable extent, but at most are only a partial remedy. I was unable to obtain any hyperparasites on this beetle, but suspect their presence owing to the comparatively few ladybirds as compared with the enor- mous number of aphids. Last year the aphid appeared on an experimental plot of indigo in the Museum compound. The aphids were present in large numbers but were completely exterminated in two or three days by the larvae of the ladybird Chzlocorus nigritus Fab. I have every hope that this ladybird, which usually feeds in Calcutta on the coccid Chionaspis (Hemichtonaspis) minor, will prove an important factor in reducing the ravages of this destructive aphid. I was unable to find this ladybird in Behar, even though I examined several ‘colonies of Chionaspis minor, to see if this ladybird was to be found in the indigo districts, I am at present experimenting with them and hope in time to be able to send up several colonies of this ladybird to Behar. Due precautions will be taken to avoid any hyperparasites being sent as well. 46 Indian Museum Notes. | * E¥ols Vag The /natgo Thrips. In April I received some wingless young and winged adults of a species of thrips which was reported to be eating away the epidermis of the leaves of indigo at Dalsingsarai. In May I had an oppor- tunity of observing the insect at work. The damage done is pe- culiar and the presence of the insect can be detected by the whitish appearance of the indigo leaves caused by the insect eating away the epidermis of the leaf. The wingless young were present in very large numbers, The greater proportion of the plants attacked were stunted and a fair percentage of the leaves (about 50 per cent.) of infested plants were attacked. There were on an average from 6 to 12 insects on each leaf- let. The wingless young are semi-transparent, slightly reddish in colour. The legs almost colourless. As the insects are so minute it is impossible to examine them properly without a fairly powerful hand lens. 'The adult insect is winged, blackish in colour, abdomen pointed, length about 4th ofaninch, They are extremely active and take flight on the shentest provocation, It is therefore no easy matter to observe them unless extreme caution is observed on approaching a plant. _ These insects have a habit of moving their bodies in an extremely aggressive way which would cause most people to imagine that they are able to sting. When at rest the wings are laid flat on the back. The best way to obtain specimens is to use a small camel hair brush moistened with spirit. If used with care the insects can be caught on the tip and transferred to a phial of weak spirit. Examined under a microscope the four narrow wings fringed with long hairs can be observed. As regards the damage done, the insect though small does a deal of injury owing to its immense numbers. I have been unable so far to discover any sort of parasite on this minute insect. Later I hope to be able to publish a more detailed paper on these pests. I have, however, deemed it advisable to write this short note upon these observations made during my tour to call the atten- tion of eee to these pests.} 1 For various reasons I was unable this year to rear the We Chilocorus nigritus Fabr.in Calcutta. There would have been difficulties, however, in propagating this ladybird in Behar, owing to the almost total absence of the Indigo Aphid in the Indigo districts this year, Now ie ee) tebbing—Predaceous Coccinellidz, Indias Region. 47 7, INSECTA INDICA II. COLEOPTERA 2. NOTES UPON THE KNOWN PREDACEOUS COCCINELLID& OF THE INDIAN REGION, PART I. BY THE EDITOR. In the following papers! propose to describe shortly some of the at present known predaceous Coccinellide (Lady-bird beetles) of the Indian Region. It is a well-understood fact amongst Econo- mic Entomologists that a thorough knowledge of the life-histories and habits of these most useful insects isa siue gua non to those who wish to place themselves in the position of being able to combat and reduce widespread attacks of certain classes of insect pests. In this Part a list of sixteen species belonging to eleven genera which are known to be predaceous upon various aphids and scale insects in the Indian Region will be considered. [ trust that their tabulation here will lead. to a greater number of species being reported in the near future. Genus Hippodamia. Chever. Dej Cat. (typ. 13-punctata). Claws bifid, thorax subtransverse, slightly emarginate in front, base rounded, sinuate inside the posterior angles, not margined; elytra alutaceous, with an obsolete punctuation, abdominal plates en- tirely absent, incomplete externally or (exceptionally) complete. 1. Hippodamia variegata, var. Doubledayt, Muls. (latediieicss 1175 10,) Predaceous upon 4phzs sp. The Peach Aphis. Beetle $.—Head white, edged with black behind, the edging being continued round on either side of prothorax to where it meets the elytra. Latter only slightly rounded at base; dorsally a short longitudinal white line with white dot on either side of it. Elytra longer than wide, orange-yellow. A large black patch in basal exterior angles. A diamond-shaped spot above scutellum which is joined to a large central half-moon shaped blotch, placed near suture, by a narrow band running down the suture. These median blotches joined by a narrow band to another on each side placed more laterally and anteriorly. A small black spot above median blotches near suture, A large black semi-elliptical spot in inner apicalangles. Long. 4—5 millim., PI, III, fig. 1 2, shows ¢ beetle, nat. size and enlarged.: ?. Larger than d¢ ; colour of elytra canary-yellow. The exterior asal and interior apical blotches smaller and not so near the elytral margins, No band connecting diamond-shaped patch with the central] inner patches. These latter uniform in shape and placed more 48 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI. laterally and about 4rd from apex. The two spots above these smaller and not so close to suture. Long. 51 millim. (Fig, 16.) Larva.—Head orange with four longitudinal dorsal black stripes radiating outwards. Ground colour of body white all over. Third segmentorange. Four black spots placed transversely on dorsal sur- face of each segment forming four rows of dots running longitudinally down the dorsal surface of the body, the two middle rows being close together with a wide space between them and the outer ones. Under- surface white. Described from living specimens on 12th May 1902. Long. 8:2 millim. . Pupa.—Before pupation the larva attaches itself by its anal extre - mity to a leaf and remains projecting outwards at an angle from the point of attachment, the body slightly curved over, dorsal surface convex, ventral one concave. The pupa is greyish black in colouy in its first stage, becoming bright yellow when the larval skin splits down and shrivels back disclosing the true pupa. Below the yellow the orange-yellow forming elytra can be seen beneath the pupal skin; some black spots in pairs upon the dorsal surface of the head and thorax. The suture between thorax and future elytra is plainly marked; four rows of black dots run dorsally down abdominal segments, the two innermost being the largest; two large black spots placed medianly and dorsally between the elytra swellings. Long. 5:2 millim. PI. III, fig. 1, shows a pupa on a leaf. Distributton.—Dehra Dun plateau, North India. Elevation 2,000 feet (mihi). 4 Life-History.—The insect was taken in all its stages by the writer on the 12th May. It was engaged»in actively feeding upon a green aphis which was committing serious damage to some young peach trees on the Dun plateau. The Hippodamia was accompanied by Celophora sauzeto, Chtlomenes sex-maculata, and Brumus suturalis (all described below) which were also predaceous upon the Aphis although they were not as common as the coccinellid under consi- deration. The description of the method of feeding of the larva and adults given here wiil stand for any one of the other three species,” whose stages were also observed. The larvee devour both wingless and winged forms. One grub watched consumed seven aphids successively, springing upon the small insects, seizing and holding them with its anterior pair of legs, and then sucking them dry. The skins are apparently swallowed as well as the contents as notrace of these latter could be found in the box in which a number of the coccinellid larvae were fed. In the case of the winged forms the wings were the only portions rejected. The ‘No. 1,] £. P. Stebbing—Predaceous Coccinellidz, Indian Region. 49 larvze when feeding do not attach themselves to the leaf by the tips of their bodies as is the habit of Vedalia guerinii described later one The grubs are parasitised by minute insects, perhaps hymenopterous, round holes being observed in several dry larval skins, the larva having apparently reached the first stage of pupation before succumbing to the parasite. The beetles are very active and run quickly over the curled up and aborted shoots and leaves of the plant searching for the aphids, Every little nook and cranny is visited, since it is in these that the blights are tobe found. When an insect is discovered they seize and suck out its contents much in the same way and with the same vorae cious eagerness as the larva. The beetles were pairing when observed between the 12th and 15th May, They and the Brumus suturalis were by far the most plentiful of the four genera present. 2. Hippodamia constellata, Crotch. Crotch, Rev. Coccinell. p. 97. 1874. Coccinella constellata, Laich. Ins. Tyrol. 1. 121. 6 (1781)... 7A mutabilis, Scriba F. F. Ent. 1. 183. 14 (1799). Adonia mutabilis, Muls. Secur. p. 39. 1. » Doubledayi, Muls. Spec. p. 38.1. (T). Hippodamia ripicola, Muls. Mon. p. 13. to. (1866) T. Adonia corsica, Reiche Ann. fr. 11. 299 (1862). » obifurcata, Muls. Mon. p. 28. 3. » Kriechbaumit, Muls. Mon. p. 30. 4. (Plate III, fig. 2.) Predaceous upon Chermes abtetes-picee Steb. MS, and the Blue pine Aphis. The deetle is generaily recognisable by the pattern of the thorax. which is margined at the sides and in front with white, the anterior margin emitting a sharp tooth in the middle, and two small discal dots, one on either side, also white. The elytra are rather pointed at their apices with three black dots placed laterally on their basal halves and another two anteriorly with a narrow black streak in the inner apical angles. In a variety the anterior two-thirds of the elytra is occupied by a design like a reversed gamma with a small dot on either side of it. Long. 7 millim. Fig. 2 shows beetle, natural size and enlarged. _ Distribution.—Common in the N.-W. Himalayas, May to June,. at elevations 7,000—g,000 ft, (mihi). Crotch gives the distribution in the Indian Region as India, Central Asia. Life-History.—In May and June :go1 and 1902 the writer found. this beetle in some abundance upon spruce, silver fir and blue pine trees in the Jaunsar Hills, N.-W. Himalayas. The insects. E Bo. Indian Wiese Notes. -£ Vol. VI. were feeding, in company with Coccinella septem-punctata, upon the ‘eggs and young larve‘of a chermes, Chermes abietis-picez, which -nfest the spruce and silver fir and thes also probably feed . a black Aphis which is to be found on the blue pine, Nothing further appears to be known about its life-history in India. As the species is widely distributed from Europe to ‘Africa and Siberia in addition to Asia and India, it will probably be found -that it attacks and feeds upon a variety of Aphide. Genus Coccinella. Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. I. 1735 (typ. 7-punctata). Claws with a basalar tooth. Mesosternum entire. Margins of abdominal segments curved so as to meet in middle, but inclined “at sides so that segments are visible. Prothorax prominent in front, sémi-elliptical, with a flat base. Elytra slightly wider than prothorax and about three times as long; oval truncate more or less convex. 3. Coccinella septem-punctata. Coccinella 7-punctata, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 365. 8 (1758). ” » Muls. Sécur. p. 79. 3 (1846). or divaricata, Oliv. Ent. VI. p. toot, 21, pl. V. 67 (1808). + + Muls. Spec. p. 112, 21 (1850). (Plate III, fig. 3) Predaceous upon Chermes abietis-picez Steb. MS. and Aphis? sp: {Blue pine Aphis). Beetle.—Head black with two dorsal white spots. Prothorax black with a white patch in exterior basal angle on both sides. Elytra red, a white spot on either side of the scutellum and a largish black spot ‘below it. Each elytron has three other spots—one placed medianly ‘and the other two laterally about a ith and ?ths respectively from the abse and near the outer angle. Long. 6°5—7:3 millim. Fig. 3 shows beetle, natural size and enlarged. Distribution.—Crotch gives India. Gorham informs me that the insect has been searrded from the Himalayas as well as from Jower elevations in Central and Southern India. Jaunsar Hills, N.-W. Himalayas. Elev. 7,000—9,500 ft. (mihi). The Indian Museum has specimens from Afghanistan, N.-W. Hima- layas, Sikhim, Mungphu, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Life-History.—The remarks already recorded above for H. consteilata apply equally to this insect, since the two were invariably found in company in May and June. The Coccinella, however, was also found up to the middle of July in the Jaunsar Hills, being present there, upon Quercus semicarpifolia in addition to the conifers. Its food is probably very varied since it ranges from Europe to N. Africa and Siberia. No. 1.] EZ. P. Stebbing—Predaceous C occinellidz, Indian Region, 51 Genus Celophora. Muls. Spec. p. 390 (tyP. inzequalis). . Epistome simply toothed. Antennz with a long and slender club, the oth and rith joints generally longer than wide. Prothorax arched and hardly turned up behind; ordinarily obliquely cut. Scutellum generally wider than long, ending in a point. Elytra usually rounded posteriorly. Body sub-hemispherical. 4, Colophora sauzeti Muls. _ (PL. IIL fig. 4, 4a.) Predaceous upon Aphis sp. The Peach Aphis. Beetle.—Ground colour canary yellow. Head, antennz and legs same colour. Thorax black with a yellow triangular patch on anterior outer angles. A black line running down elytral suture expanding nto a circular spot in-centre and near the apical ends of the elytra. In addition there are two other circular black spots on each elytron placed laterally, the one near the outer basal extremity, the other in the upper half, Ventral surface black. Length 4:1 millim. Described from living specimens. Fig. 4a@ shows this beetle natural size and enlarged. Larva.—Head black, first three segments black witha yellow spot on their dorsal surfaces, small on first, larger on the othertwo. A yellow edging between head and first segment of the body, this being continued down the sides of first three segments. Rest of segments black, the seventh and eighth having a series of yellow dots running transversely from one side dorsally to the other, largest in centre. A yellow transverse patch in centre of dorsal surface of the ninth, tenth and eleventh segments and one at the sides of each of the fourth and fifth. Legs black. Ventral surface black with a broad yellow elongate stripe running right down the centre. Described from living species taken in the middle of May, See PI. Ill. fig. 4. Distribution.—Dehra Dun plateau, NorthIndia. Elevation 2,000 feet (mihi). Life-History.—Both larve and beetles were taken between the t2th and 15th May. The insect in both stages feeds actively upon a small aphis which infests the peach in the Dun plateau in Northern India. The larvae devour both larval and winged forms of the aphis, whilst the beetle seems to prefer the wingless larval forms , E2 -.52 ah Indian Museum Notes. . Vol. VI, Genus Synonycha. 5 Chev. Dej, Cat. p. 460 (typ. Grandis). Distinct by the bifid claws ; ; punctuation fine, elytra not margined, scutellum impunctate, 5. Synonycha grandis. Coccinella grandis, Thumb. Nov. Sp. Ins. p. 12. f. 13. Synonycha grandis, Muls. Spec. p. 230. 1. (Pl. III, fig. 5.) This is the largest species of the family known. Large, oval, orange-coloured, shining ; very convex above, resem- bling a tortoise in shape. Head black. Thorax yellow-white a basal median circular black spot occupying larger part of lower half. Elytra crescent margined at their bases with in all 8 spots on each. One just above centre of basal margin on either side, two more on contour of outer margin 4rd and 2rds, respectively, from outer basal angle, two more directly above the first mentioned, about 4 and ¢ up, two median ones joining to form a triangular blotch about ird up median suture, two more much smaller 3ths up median suture with a small one at each apex. Legs orange-yellow. Long. 12—13 millim. Fig, 5 shows the beetle. ‘eee Distribution.—India; Ceylon. Indian Museum possesses specimens from Mungphu (Sikhin), Manipur, Dikrang Valley, Calcutta, Andaman Islands and Upper Tenasserim, Genus Palconeda. Crotch, Cat. Cocc., p. 5. (¢yp. auriculata). Clypeus semi-circularly emarginate ; thorax with the sides nearly straight; anterior angles extremely acuminate, above deeply im- pressed, prosternum compressed, mesosternum emarginate, also com- pressed, together with the base of the metasternum, which is united to the preceding by an imperceptible suture ; elytra not thickened at the margin, epipleurze very broad, not foveolate, not acuminate at the apex ;antennz with the first joint triangularly dilated. Scutel- lum very small. Distribution.—-Northern India (Crotch) ; Madras Presidency. Paleoneda sex-maculata. 1. M@. N.—Previous refererce. I, 1, p. 64. Predaceous upon Aulacophora abdominalis Hope No. 1.] Z. P. Stebbing—Predaceous Coccinellidz, Indian Region. 53 Beetle.— Canary to orange-yellow, long-ovate. Prothorax elliptical, with a median transverse crescent-shaped black mark and a posterior one on edge ending on either side in a black blotch. Elytra witha black mark like a reversed C on basal two-thirds and a black spot near upper anal corner. Long. 4°3—4'5 millim, Dtstribution——Ganjam District, Madras Presidency (Collector of Ganjam, 1888). Life-Hrstory—In September 1888 the Collector of Ganjam forwarded to the Museum specimens of beetles reported to destroy cotton, red gram, and cucumber. The insects proved to be the chry- somelid beetle, Aulacsophora abdominalts and the coccinellid P. sex- maculata, This latter beetle is probably predaceous upon the former. : Nothing further appears to have been reported on this insect. Genus Chilomenes. Chevr. De]. Cat. p. 459 (typ. lunata). The clypeus is semi-circularly emarginate, the antennz short, the elytra not margined and at least 4th wider in front than the protho- tax ; posterior edge of latter moon-shaped, the outer angles directed backwards, the outer angles of the elytra being directed forwards. The abdominal plates V-shaped. %, Chilomenes sex-maculata. Coccinella 6-maculata, Fabr. Sp. Ins. I. 95, 20 (1781) T. Cheilomenes 6-maculata, Muls. Spec. p. 444. i. Crotch, Rev. Coccin. p. 180. 1874. I, M. N.—Previous reference. III. v. 55. (Plate III, fig. 6.) Predaceous upon S7phonophora scabtose Schrank, Aphis sp. (Peach Aphis) and Aphis sp. (Indigo Aphis). Aphis sp, (Juar Aphis), Beetle.—About the same size, perhaps a shade larger than Coelophora Sauszett, Oval. Head and thorax canary yellow, eyes black.