Indian Museum Notes

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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.

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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:

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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

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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. <A short transverse black line across centre and a curved one
edging the posterior margin ofthe prothorax. Elytra orange yellow,
a black stripe running down the suture. An irregularly crescent-
shaped mark near the basal margin of each. Below this at about the
centre an irregular zig-zag transverse black line not meeting either
edge of elytra, and below this a black spot near apical margins.
Ventral surface orange red and antennz dark yellow, Female is
much larger than the male and lighter in colour. Colour variable to
dark orange. Long. 6 4°5, 2 4°5—5'2 millim. Fig, 6 shows this
beetle, natnral size and enlarged.

5g? | Indian Museum, Notes. — © Volo VE

Distribution.—Said to be common throughout the Indian region.

Reported from Calcutta (Sibpur). Dehra Dun plateau, North India -

Elevation 2,000 ft. (mihi) and Dalsing Serai, Behar (H. W. Peal).
Indian Museum Collections contain specimens from North India,
Calcutta, Ranchi, and the Andaman Islands.

Life-History.—In Calcutta beetles were reared from larve sent

to the Indian Museum in February 1894, adult insects being obtained
on the 17th and r1gth of the month. It is thus evident that the

pupal stage of this generation of the insect is a short one. The :
larvze were reported te be feeding upon Stphonophora scabtosae,
which, had attacked and were ruining tobacco leaves in 22 ‘Sibpue

Experimental Farm.

In the middle of May 1902 the writer obtained pup and

adults on the Dehra Dun plateau. The beetles were discovered
feeding with great avidity uponan aphis which was attacking and
destroying the foliage of young peach trees. In this case it was
noted that about 7 days were spent in the pupal stage. It is not at
present certain whether this is a second generation of the insect in
the year, or whether, owing to the much colder climate in North
India, the insects found were in their first generation. The latter
is considered the most probable. The beetle is excessively voracious.
The writer discovered one attempting to feed upon the pupe
of H. variegata var. doubleday¢ (described above). It seized the
pupa with its fore and middle pairs of legs and endeavoured to
bore througk one of the dorsal abdominal segments. The pupa
wriggled its body actively backwards and forwards using its point
of attachment to the leaf as a fulcrum. The beetle, though with

difficulty maintaining its position under this motion, clung ta the pupa ~

and would probably have killed it had not the writer interfered.
The Asistant Entomologist, Mr, Peal, found it, as will be seen from
bis report on p. 45, feeding upon the Indigo Aphid in Behar.

This beetle was found finding upon a species of Aphis which
attacks Juar at Lyullpur, Punjab in September of this year (1903).

Genus Chilocorus.
Leach, Edin. Ency. 1X. p. 116 (typ. cacti).

Spread over the whole world. Head perpendicular or inclined.
Antennz short, hardly as long as the width of the forehead, with
a fusiform club. The sides of the thorax are nearly always
pubescent..

Thorax black, elytra unicolorous black, or metallic or spotted

with red. Legs hidden beneath ba in repose; claws ses E with
a basilar tooth.

No: 1.) £. P. Stebbing—Predaceous Co:cinellidz, Indian Region. 55,

8. Chilocorus nigritus.

Coccinella nigrita, Fabr. Suppl. Ent. Syst. p. 79 (1798).
Chilocorus nigritus, Muls. Spec. p. 463, 14.
Orcus cerberus, Muls. Op. VII. p. 148 (1846) T.

Crotch, Rev. Coccinell. p. 134, 1874.
I, M. N.—Previous reference. Chilocorus nigrita, Fabr.in v. 3+ 12Q).

Plate ix. Figs. 2, 2a, 2b.

Predaceous upon Chionaspis (Hemichionaspts) EG, Mae
Aphis sp. (Indigo Aphid).

Beetle. Body hemispherical, shining above. Head yellowish-
Ted or testaceous. Prothorax rounded with straight sides furnished
with light coloured fine and scattered hairs; shining black above,
reddish or reddish yellow at sides. Scutellum black. Elytra very
convex, slightly less so anteriorly, of uniform width and shining black
in colour, which is sometimes less deep at the exterior edges, Faintly
punctuate without deeper punctures at the margin. Body beneath
and legs reddish-yellow or testaceous; tibiz obsoletely armed.
Long. 3°2—3°5 miliim. :

Larva.—Although the larva is figured in Indian Museum Notes
no description of it or the beetle appears to have been made at
the time.

Distribution,—India, Malabar (Fry), Sibpur, Calcutta (Prain).

Indian Museum Collections possess specimens from Calcutta,
Mungphu (Sikhim), and Madras.

_ Life-History—The insect feeds upon the coccid Chzonasfis
minor inits larval state. It was so found by Major Prain, I.M.S., at
the Botanic Garden, Sibpur, in March tgoo. It has also been found
feeding upon the Indigo Aphid by Mr. Peal (vide p. 45 ante).

9. Chilocorus circumdatus.

Coccinella circumdata, Schon. Syn. Ins. U1. 152 (1808).
Chilocorus circumdatus, Muls. Spec. p. 454, 2
Chilocorus nigromarginatus, Mots. Et. Ent. VIII, 170.
Crotch, Rev. Coccinel. Lond. 1874.

I. M. N.—Previous references. II. 6, 154; IV. 4, 218.

(Plate III, fig. 7.)

Predaceous upon Lecanium coffez. The Brown Bug.

Beetle.—Body sub-hemispherical, very convex; dotted; red or -
reddish-yellow; shining above. Eyes black. Prothorax rounded
at sides and finely margined, the posterior fold visible. Elytra_
very convex margined and with a black edging. Of a uniform,
width or very slightly wider at the apical angles. Beetle evi-
dently and rather closely punctulate.

SO Indian Museum Notes. - [Vol. VI.

Var.—Punctuation fainter and more obsolete, elytra less visibly
margined.

Distribution.—Ceylon (Schaum), Neilgherries (Guérin).

Life-History.—The insect is said to feed upon the brown bug,
Lecanium caffez, of coffee and is therefore of considerable use upon
coffee estates. It was reported in this connection from Ceylon by
Nietner. .

The figure shows some empty larval skins upon a piece of stem
drawn from a specimen kindly lent me by Mr. Green.

Genus Brumus.
Muls. Spec. p. 492 (typ. 8-signata).

Front legs plain. Hood truncate or slightly arched inwards in
front. Prothorax only slightly arched and without sinuosity at its
base; sides nearly straight. Elytra convex simply margined not
hiding the thickness of the thighs. Abdominal plates simply arched.
Body oval.

10. Brumus suiuralis.

Coccinella suturalis, Faby. Suppl. Ent. Syst., p. 78 (1798).

Brumus suturalis, Muls, Spec., p. 494, 2.

(Plate III, fig. 8.)

Predaceous upon Aphis sp. (Peach Aphis).

Beetle-—Oval, convex, not distinctly dotted; shining above,
!fead, antenns, and palps reddish-yellow. Prothorax feebly arched in
front, more prominently so behind, the arc being directed backwards ;
reddish yellow without spots. Scutellum black. Elytra satiny white
with thin black longitudinal stripes running down them, a sutural
one and one on each elytron; elytra leave the last segment of the
body exposed, this being reddish brown. Ventral surface red with
black patches between the legs and on the first segment of the abdo-
men. Legs red, with posterior femora marked with a mediam black
patch. Long. ¢@ 3-5, 2 4 millim. Fig. 8 shows the beetle, natural
size and enlarged. a

Distribution.—Crotch gives this as India.

The Indian Museum Collections contain a specimen marked
Madras. Also specimens from the Dehra Dun plateau, North India.
Elevation 2,000 ft. (mihi),

Life-[/istory.—The writer took this beetle between the 12th and
I5th May 1903 plentifully on peach trees which were badly attacked
by an Aphis. The coccinellid was feeding upon the blight, it being
the fourth and smallest of the species discovered at the time. It was
quite as abundant as the Hippodamia already described. The

No. 1.] £, P. Stebbing—Predaceous Coccinellide, Indian Regton. 57

Brumus is an active beetle running rapidly over the plant when in
search of its: prey. It feeds voraciously. Some beetles were kept in
a box for 24 hours without food and then some aborted peach shoots
and leaves containing aphids were placed inside. The beetles at once
showed the greatest excitement running quickly over the mass and over
each other in their eagerness to get into the interior of the curled-up
contorted mass. Every nook and cranny was visited by the
small insects and they cleared off the whole of the blight in an incre-.
dibly short space of time. The beetles were pairing at the time
of capture, the insects remaining coupled for several hours. The
male which is the smaller of the two mounts on to the back of
the female,

Genus Platynaspis.

Redtenb, Tentamen., p. 11 (typ. luteo-rubra).

Prothorax not covering the head. Epistome forming with the
cheeks a hood which hides the antenne and the greater part of the
eyes. Elytra scarcely wider in front than the thorax. The thighs
do not hide the shanks when the !egs are drawn back.

Crotch thinks that this genus is better placed in the Chilocorides
than in the Scymnides ; the pubescent surface not being a character
of a high order.

11. Platynaspis luteo-rubra.

Crotch. Rev. Coccinell, p. 196, 1874.

Coccinella velue a points, Geof. Hist. Nat. 1. 322. 22. (1762).

Coccinella luteo-rubra, Goeze, Ent. Beyt. 1. p. 247 (1878).

Coccinella villosa, Fourc. Ent. Par. 1. 149. 22 (1785).

Platynaspis villosa, Muls. Sécur. p. 216. 1 (1846).

Scymnus spectabilis, Fald. Mém. Mose. V. p. 410 (1837.)

I. M. N.—Frevious reference, Platynaspis villosa, Ill. 5,50; V. 3, 63. Pl. IX, fig.
3 (imago).

Predaceous upon Chionaspis decurvata Green and /cerya. xgyp-
ticum Douglas.

Beetle. —Elongate-ovate, sub-depressed with a thorax rounded
behind, Head orange, antenne short. Elytra dark brown with an
Orange tinge. A large orange patch on basal half of elytra and
a smaller round one in apical angle. legs orange brown. Long.
1°Q—1'5 millim.

The larva is a brownish grub which transforms into a pupa
attached to a twig of the plant upon which the grub was feeding.

Distribution.—Calcutta.

Life-History,—This insect was found in all its stages from larva
to adult in July 1900. It was feeding upon Chzonaspis decurvata

SSa0 : - ...: . Indian. Museum Notes. <i). cE Wok: Vior

which had attacked the leaves of rice plants grown under shelter in -
the Indian Museum compound. The coccinelled feeds upon the scale .
in both its larval and adult stages of life.

Genus Symnus.

Kugell Schnetd. Mag. to (1794), (typ. frontalis).

Folds of the elytra not deeply pitted. Antennz very short, hardly
reaching 3th down prothorax; Io-jointed, joints 1-2, equal-sized,
soldered together,

12. Scymnus rotundatus.
Scymnus rotundatus, Mots. Et. Ent. VIII. p. 170 (18509).
I. M. N.—Previous reference, I. 6, 154; IV. 4, 218.

Predaceous upon Pseudococeus adonidum,

Sub-hemisphericus, subtilissime dense puricenlatuc, brevissime-
cinereo-puberulus niger; ore «antennis pedibusque rufo-testaceis,
femoribus abdomineque infuscatis ; corpore subtus nitido, punctato 3.
thorace valde transverso, antice arcuatim angustato, angulis posticis.
subrectis ; scutello minutissimo, triangulari; elytris ad basin thoracis.
latitudine, arcuatim dilatatis, rotundatis, humeris indistinctis.

Near S. ater, but more rounded, without humeral angles. Abdo-.
minal laminz triangular. L-3 lin,

Distribution.—Ceylon.

Life-History.—This beetle was reported some years ago by
Nieter to feed upon the white bug of coffee bushes, Pseudococcus
adonitdum, in Ceylon. Nothing further appears to have been observed.
in its life-history.

13. Scymnus sp.
I, M. N.—Previous reference, III. 5, 5o.

Predaceous upon /cérya zgyptiacum Douglas.

Beetle.—Yellow to orange in colour, ovate and shining. Head
yellow with black eyes. Anterior outer angles of thorax project,
the anterior margin being concave, the posterior convex and
pointed medianly. Elytra lighter-coloured, covered with a scattered.
pubescence. Legs orange-yellow. Long, 1—1°s millim.

Distribution.—Calcutta (Indian Museum compound).

Life-History.x—The mature beetle was found sparingly feeding
upon the scale insect /cerya xgyptiacum in the beginning of June
1894.

No. 1.) £. P. Stebbing—Predaceous Coccinellidze, Indian Region. 592

Genus Vedalia.
Muls. Spec. p. 905 (typ. Sieboldi).

Thorax not margined, punctuation variable, epipleurz broad,.
dilated, concave. Antennz extremely short, hardly longer than
the width of the front; form oval; anterior tibize less emarginate
than in the genus Rodolia which greatly resembles Vedalia; its.
form is, however, orbicular.

14, Vedalia fumida, var. roseipennis.

Rodolia Jjumida, Muls. Spec. pe 9o4, 4 (T).
Epilachna arethusa, (Muls.) Op. UI, p. 126 {L).
Epilachna testicolor, (Muls.) Op. \I1, p. 127 (T}.
Rodo‘ta roseipennis, Muls. Spec. p. 904, 5 (1).
Rodolia chermesina, Muls. Spec. p. 905, 6 (T).
Crotch. Rev. Coccinell., 1874.

I. M. N.— Previous references, 1V. 1, 27 ; 4, 218.

(Plate III, fig. 9.) |

Predaceous upon l/cerya xgyptiacum Douglas and Monophlebus
stebbingt Green.

_Beetle.x—The punctuation is very fine and uniform, the colour
yellow and the general form oval. Mulsant redescribed it in 1853.
as an Epilachua; Rodolia rosetpennis is an immaculate form. Long.
3 millim, Fig. 9 shows this beetle, natural size and enlarged.

Distribution.- India, Bengal (Deyrolle) ; Dehra Dun plateau,
Northern India (mihi). ;

Life-History.— Beetles were reared in the Indian Museum in July
1894 from a batch of pupz obtained from ornamental bushes in
the Museum compound. Both larve and: beetles feed upon the
scale insect, /cerya zgyptiacum.

The insect was found by the writer in April 1902 feeding
upon the scale insect Monophlebus stebbingg in company with
Vedalia guérinii, the latter being by far the most numerous of-the
two. Only the adults of the vosezpennis were taken, though it is.
probable that larve were also present upon the sal trees upon which-
the Monophlebus was feeding.

15, Vedalia Guerinit.
Crotch, Rev. Coccinell, p. 282, 1874.
Coccinella sp. Steb. Dep. Not. Ins. For. 2, 324.
(RII, figs, tn, 11a, 19h tic, Tras
Predaceous upon Monophlebus stebbingi Green.

60 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI.

Beetle.—Subovate, rather shining, finely and uniformly punctue
late, red; head, base of thorax, and elytra each with three spots
(2 placed transversely at the base, 1 large, occupying the posterior
third), black; thorax formed as in Chilocorus, broadly rounded
behind, sides produced, narrow, rounded ; tibiz compressed, exter
nally setose. L. 6:2 millim. When ready to issue the pupal skin
‘splits down dorsally and ventrally at the anterior end and the beetle
crawls out. Fig. 11d shows the beetle, natural size and enlarged.

Larva.—When young the larva is long, narrow and black. It
tetains thiscolour during its first two moults. As it grows older the
markings change to white and black or reddish with white markings,
or greyish purple. When full grown the head is well developed,
narrower than the following to segments of the body. Of these
latter the middle ones are broadest, the grub tapering to either end.
‘These segments project laterally into pointed teeth, giving a serrate
edged appearance to the grub. On each of the Io segments there
are four dorsal tubercles, two on each side, The last two segments
taper, are reddish-black in colour, the last one ending in a sucker pad-
like apparatus which forms the end of the body and which is very
adhesive. The arrangement of the segments render the body
extremely pliable and the larva can almost roll itself up into a ball.
Ventral surface same colour as dorsal but has notubercles. Just
before pupating the larva often changes from the white and black
or greyish purple colour to a brick red. Long. 8:2 millim. Figs. 11,
11a, show the larva, dorsal and side view (enlarged),

Pupa,—The pupa is attached to a leaf or twig, the larva fixing
itself in this position before pupating by means of the adhesive pad at
the end of its body ; it remains projecting outwardly at an angle from
the point of attachment; dorsal surface convex, ventral concave.
After 24 hours the larval skin splits down anteriorly and the bright
red spherical pupais disclosed. In the pupa the small black eyes of
the future beetles, the developing wings and the dorsal ridges of the
abdominal segments are clearly distinguishable under the skin, Colour
varies from bright to dull red, crimson lake or orange red. Size about
°6'2 millim. Figs 114, 11¢ show the pupa side and dorsal view.

Distribution.—Pondicherry (Guérin) ; Dehra Dun plateau, North-
ern India (mihi).

Life-History.x—The insect was found by the writer in all its
stages of larva, pupa and adult in the middle of April 1902, up
to the end of that month and on into the first week in May when,
having laid its eggs, it disappeared. Both larve and beetles were
actively engaged in feeding upon the large white scale insect Mono-
_phiebus stebbingi which was swarming in the sl forests of the

» No. 1,] £. P. Stebbing —Predaceous Coccinellidz, Indian Region, 61

Dun plateau. 8-9 days is the length of time spent by the Vedalia
in the pupal stage, adults issuing on the 24th and 25th from
pupal cases of larvae which had pupated on the 16th. Numbers were
bred out and this period seems to be fairly constant for the April
generation. The beetle appears to pass some days feeding upon
the scale before pairing and egg-laying. The ¢ dies within 24
hours of pairing with the ?.

The grub is very active and eminently voracious. When it has
found ascale (the insect being often twice or thrice its own size)
it rushes precipitately at it, fixes its mouth parts into the soft body
substance and at the same moment attaches itself by means of the
adhesive pad at the extremity of its body to the twig. The struggles
to escape of the larger and much heavier scale are quite futile.
The larva feeds by sucking out the juicy body contents of its host,
Grubs watched were found to spend as much as 8 hours in continuous
suction at one scale, only quitting it when nothing but an empty
dry wrinkled black skin was left. The amount of material they
are able to absorb at one meal is very large. The larve are not
gregarious. y

The pupz are to be found fixed either to the upper or under
side of the leaves or to the twigs and they are usually found in groups
together. The beetles are very gregarious and pass the heat of
the day collected thickly together on the under surface of large
leaves. They also feed upon the scale but only absorb a com-
paratively small portion of its body contents at a time and never kill
it outright. Little yellow marks are left upon the scale showing
where they have been previously ‘tapped’ by the Vedalia adults,
several of these latter being often found fixed to the same scale. The
writer has only as yet obtained this spring generation, though it is
not impossible that more than one generation may be passed through
by the coccinellid between March when the larvee first appear in the
Dun and the first week in May.

For a fuller account of what is known upon the life-history of
the Vedalia see the writer’s Departmental Notes on Insects that
affect Forestry No. 2, pp. 324-331.

16. Vedalia discolor.
(PI, Ill. fis. 10, 10a.)

Beetle—Oval, very convex, small, yellow in colour with a white
pubescence. Prothorax with posterior margin triangular. Elytra
project slightly beyond prothorax, convex. Long, 4°5 millim.

62 | Indian Museum Notes. : [Vol. VI.

17 Vedalia ? sp.
(Pl. IIl, figs. 12, 122.)
- Predaceous upon Monophlebus stebbingt var, mangifere.

Larva.—Not unlike V. guérind larva, but larger. Spirit speci-
‘mens a dull reddish purple tapering anteriorly and posteriorly.
Mouth parts blackish; three pairs of long stout black legs on the
‘three segments following the head; 4 rows of tubercles on dorsal
surfaces of the segments, running longitudinally down the body.
“Segments produced laterally into a pointed process giving a serrate
-side to the larva. Larva is thickest inthe middle, being very convex
-dorsally and flat beneath. Length-to millim. Figs. 12, 12a show a
dorsal and side view of the larva (enlarged).

Distribution.—Shalimar Gardens, Lahore, Punjab.

Life-History.—In May 1902 Mr. Beadon-Bryant, Conservator of
Forests, forwarded some scale insect from the Shalimar Gardens,
“Lahore, with the note that they were injurious to mango trees. The
scales proved to be but a variety of the Sal Monophlebus (vide p. 63).
‘In view of the presence of the predaceous Vedalia guérinii upon
this latter scale the writer asked for further consignments of insects
‘from Shalimar this year (1903), and also that a search might be made
‘in the plantation for ladybird beetles and their grubs. At the inst-
_ ance of Mr. Beadon-Bryant, Mr. Blascheck, Assistant Conservator of
Forests, sent a further consignment of specimens in May. With
‘the full-grown female scales a number of large larvz not unlike the
_V. guérinit \arve, but larger and thicker, were received. The writer
*has little doubt that these were predaceous upon the female Mono-

phlebus scales.

No. 1.] - Fruit Trees. 63

NGh ts ON INSECT PESTS FROM THE ENTOMOLOGICAL
SECTION, INDIAN MUSEUM.

By THE EDITOR.
I.—INSECT PESTS OF FRUIT TREES.
Insects infesting the MANGO (Mangtfera indica).

1. Monophlebus stebbingi var. mangifere Green.
Order, Rhynchota. Family, Coccide.

This insect is one of those scales which in their older stages feed
upon the woody parts of shrubs and trees. When full grown the
female scale insect is a large, thick, succulent, white coccid, its real
yellow colouring being hidden beneath a powdery white mealy .
substance. It has twoantennzand thcee pairs of legs. The male
is a small two-winged fly having a red body provided with several
terminal appendages, no mouth parts and a pair of small black
wings in which are a few white streaks. Figs. 5 and 5¢ in Plate
xx, Vol. 5, show the female and male insects of d/. stebdingi of
which species the present insect is only a variety. The damage
is done by the female insects SKE out the sap of the twigs and
branches,

Early in the cold weather in Northern India a careful examina-
tion of infested mango trees will show minute yellow objects, the
size of a pin-head, clustered round the veins or ribs of the leaves,
generally upon the underside. With a lens it will be seen that these
little dots of colour are insects, each being furnished with three pairs
of short legs, a pair of yellowish feelers or antennz and each having
its proboscis buried in the tissue of the rib of the leaf. These are
the young Monophlebus scales which have already begun their attack
upon the mango. Some 6 to 8 weeks are thus spent feeding upon the
leaves, the insects moving but little during this period of their exist-
ence. Whilst in this very minute stage they may be spread about
from tree to tree by small mammals, birds, or insects. Whilst
feeding the insects pass out copious amounts of a sugary secretion
which thickly coats the leaves and twigs with a sticky material; this
dries under the sun’s rays giving the leaves the appearance of having
been varnished. In fact the scales are little more than animated
siphons, the sap from the leaves .passing through their bodies ina
continuous stream which clogs up the transpiration pores of the
leaves,

Thus even when quite young ‘the scale has made its presence
felt on the tree. The damage is small as yet, since the trees are

64 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI.

not actively growing and the leaves affected are the old ones. Some-
where about February the little scales, which have already shed
their first skins upon the leaves, descend to the young twigs and from
then onwards till they mature, remain here and on the larger branches.
They collect in masses round the twigs, several inches being often
densely encircled with the insects, and keep their position till they
have drained out most of the sap, and then proceed to a fresh twig
upon which they again congregate. It is this power of moving about
at will (which is not usual amongst Coccidz) which, added to their
enormous fertility, enables these insects to multiply in large numbers
and renders them so dangerous. March, April, and perhaps a portion
of May are spent upon the twigs and branches, the insects moving
down to the latter as they increase in size and at least two further
moults of the skin take place. In shedding the skin this latter
splits down anteriorly and the insect crawls out. The cast skins are
white and papery and will be found sticking to the leaves, twigs, and
stems of infested trees, being attached thereto by the sugary secre-
tion. From the minute dot of yellow colour found upon the leaves
in the early cold weather the insect will have grown to about $thinch
in size and have changed to dark-orange or orange-brown when
quitting the leaves tor the twigs, and when about half to 3rds
grown it begins to become covered with a dry white powdery
mealy substance which can be rubbed off with the finger. The
scale will be by now from a quarter to 4 inch in size, elliptical in
shape, white and flattish, with ridges and corrugations on its upper
surface marking the different segments. At its head end it is
provided with a pair of black antennz and beneath are three pairs of
black legs. No further change in appearance takes place, except in
size, till it matures towards the end of April or in May when it may
be 2 inch long and half this in width. There is no mistaking the
insects at this stage, the large white thick puffy-looking scales
being most conspicuous, and it is this stage that has been observed
in various parts of India upon the mango. The little black winged
male pairs with the females at this period and the latter cease feeding
soon after fertilization has taken place. During bad infestations
of the insects the large white females are to be seen in numbers
marching about up and down the trees or clinging in serried masses
to the twigs and branches, giving to these latter the appearance of
being encrusted with snow. The exudation of the sugary liquid is
at this period very heavy and coats leaves, twigs, branches, and
drips down on to the trunks and the ground beneath like rain or

heavy dew.

No. 1. | Fruit Trees, 65,

The falling-off in the condition of the trees and the non-ripening
of the fruits is rightly attributed at this period to the scale, which
sucks out the sap from the flower and young leaf-bearing branches
and causes them to dry up. The damage done in the earlier stages of
the pest has been, however, usually attributed to more easily visible
insects which may have been present in the orchard at the time, and
it is therefore to these earlier stages that attention must be drawn.
In April and May when the mature females are seen walking up and
down the trees or upon the ground below they have finished their
feeding operations, have paired with the males, and are on the look out
for suitable places in which to lay their eggs. The damage to the
orchard has been done for that year and all that can be then
attempted is to prevent its re-occurrence in the succeeding one, The
eggs of the mango variety of the pest have not yet been obtained, but
they and the method of egg-laying are likely to closely resemble
that of their near relation the sal monophlebus. In the case of this
latter the eggs are laid in a loose white silken net-like sac, over 450:
small pink shining eggs being laid by asingle female. The insect
seeks some crevice in the bark of fallen trees or stems, etc., on the
ground to hide beneath, extrudes this silken sac containing the eggs
from her body and dies, her dead skin remaining as a partial covering
above it.

Remedies.—Three forms of remedies may be recommended,
either of which should tend to reauce the numbers of the pest in the
orchard :—

1. In the younger stages it would prove useful to spray the trees
with kerosene emulsion. This would kill off the young female larva-
on the leaves and twigs.

2. It has been stated that the insects walk about up and down the |
trees a good deal when approaching their full growth, say, from the
middle of March onwards. It is therefore recommended that a
broad band, about 2 feet deep, of some sticky material be painted
round the trees at a height of 4 feet from the ground. A good mate-
rial is a mixture of tar and glue as, if properly mixed, it will remain
sticky for several months, Any convenient and easily procurable
material may be used, it being remembered that the chief essential is
that the band should retain its stickiness and be well put on. If the
material dries quickly, it must be constantly renewed, This band
should be placed upon the trees about the middle of March or earlier
if the insects are seen to be walking about. The object of the sticky
ring is to entrap all wandering scales. Those endeavouring to cross
the band will stick fast and eventually die. The band is, however,
more especially useful later on when the scales, having paired

F

66 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI.

descend the trees in search of suitable places of concealment in which
to place their eggs. With good sticky bands upon all the trees it
should be possible to capture and kill off a large percentage of these
females before they egg-lay. It is very probable that many, when
they find themselves entrapped by the band, will oviposit there. It
will be advisable therefore to visit the bands fairly often and remove
and burn the scale insects sticking to them. In the case of a severe
attack this visit should be made daily or the insects might in time
bridge the band with their dead bodies over which the living would
then cross, In putting on the bands deep furrows or inequalities in
the bark should be scraped down so that the sticky substance
used may form a continuous ring round the tree. This is abso-
lutely essential as any channel left unbanded will certainly be found
out and used by the insects to escape the ring. When the
attack is over the bands should be carefully scraped off and the scrap-
‘ings burnt, The reason for this is that each band will almost cer-
tainly contain a number of eggs laid by the entrapped females.
As long as these eggs remain in the sticky band they are harmless,
but it is probable that the monsoon rains would soon wash them out,
and many might thus reach a place of safety and hatch out in the
ordinary course.

3. The third. remedy advorsted is to introduce a predaceous
lady-bird beetle into the orchard. The beetle and its grub will
feed upon the scale and reduce its numbers. To render this method
of remedial measure effective, it wili be necessary for the owner of
the orchard to apply to an expert for help. Befcre such an applica-
tion is made, however, the owner should keep a careful watch in his
orchard to see whether such an insect is not already present feeding ©
upon the scale. Plate III, figs. 11, tra, 114, 11¢ shows the grub and
adult insect of the beetle known as Vedalia guérinit which feeds
upon the monophlebus of the sl tree, of which the mango insect is
only a variety. It is therefore probable that this insect would feed
upon the mango Monophlebus. But this latter scale already has a
predaceous coccinellid grub feeding upon it, of which the beetle is as
yet unknown. This grub is shown PI. III, figs. 12, 12a,

The mango Monophlebus has been reported from the Shalimar
Gardens near Lahore and the Bareilly public gardens. Species,
probably identical with it, also from Dalsing Serai (Tirhoot),
Darbhangha.

Points in the life-history requiring further study.

(a) What becomes of the insect between the beginning of May,
after egg-laying has been completed and the male and

No. 1. ] Lui Trees. 67

female scales have died off, and November or December
when the young female larve are to be found upon
the old leaves of the tree? Is the whole of this period
spent in the egg stage, or is there a second stage in the
life-history of the insect ?

(2) Are the scales found upon the mango at Shalimar, Bareilly,
Dalsing Serai and Darbhanga identical ?

2. Dinoderus distinctus Lesne.

Order, Coleoptera. Family, Bostvichide.

(Plate 1V, figs. I, 1a. 10, Ic.)

A small brownish beetle about 4th inch in length; the thorax and
elytra pitted and striated. Front part of thorax almost rasp-like. The
antenna has a thin lobed club at the end of it. The shank of ante-
rior leg is spined. Fig. 1 shows a dorsal view, 1a, a side view, of
this insect enlarged; 14 the antenna and 1¢ leg enlarged. Atechnical
description of this insect is given on p. 20.

This beetle was found boring into dying terminal branches of
mango trees. Also in newly dead ones. The beetles were found in
pairs tunnelling in the branches on the 19th May 1902. The entrance
tunnel and a portion at least of the egg-gallery, which runs parallel
to the long axis of the branch in the wood, are bored by the two
insects together. The gallery is probably finished by the female
and the eggs are then laid in it. The larve feed in the wood.
Several different pairs of beetles were found in separate tunnels in
some of the twigs. They appear to invariably bore up the twig.

This is the first report of this species from India. The beetle
was found by Mr. F. Swettenham and the writer on the Raynorpur
Grant in the Eastern Dun, United Provinces, at an elevation of about
2,000 feet. /

Remedy.—Keep the tree as free as possible from dead or
dying twigs. Such occur in considerable numbers as the result of
severe attacks of the monophlebus scale above described. They should
be pruned off the tree and all prunings carefully burnt.

Points in the life-history requiring further observation,

1. The number of generations of the insect in the year.
2. Length of time spent in the grub stage.
3. In which stage is the winter passed through?

F 2

68 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. Vi.

3. Hypothemnus (?) sp.
Order, Coleopiera. Family, Scolytide.
(Plate IV. figs. 2, 2a, 28, 2c, 2d.)

Beetle.—A minute little beetle brown in colour and 4th inch in
length, The antenna is angled and ends in an ovate club. There is
no rasp-like surface to the front of the thorax, The elytra da not
quite cover the abdomen, the latter being turned upwards beneath,
The elytra have parallel rows of pits upon them, Fig, 2 shows a
dorsal and 2a, a side view of this insect, enlarged. Figs. 26 and 2¢
the antenna and leg enlarged. Fig. 2d the larva enlarged.

Larva.—Small elongate white with a brownish head and no legs.

This beetle only attacks the green shoots of the mango and bores
into and laysits eggs in the green layer beneath the outer bark of
the twigs and the sapwood. Its presence can be readily detected
owing to the fact that black patches appear upon the green cortex.
Above these black patches the leaves on the twig will be seen to be
turning yellow and they die and fall off.

Thejbeetles appeared to be just maturing and some larve were
found in the twigs on May 11th. This was probably the first genera-
tion of the year, and it is probable that there are one or two more
subsequent ones,

No further notes appear to have been recorded upon this insect,
which is new to the British and Indian Museum collections.

It was found in the same trees as the D. distinctus above des-
cribed, and the remedial measures advocated for the latter apply

equally to the scolytid. This latter, however, will never be found
attacking dead branches.

Points in the life-history requiring further observation,

1, When are the eggs of the first generation laid, z.e., when are
the beetles first found attacking the trees in the spas ?

2, The number of generations in the year.

3. The number of eggs laid by the @ beetle.

4, Hypomeces sp.
Order, Coleoptera, Family, Curculionidae.

A fairly large stout black weevil. Head with a broad blunt snout,
channelled and with a longitudinal median channel running down
it dorsally and some scattered white hairs anteriorly. Eyes prominent,
black, placed rather far back on either side. Prothorax triangular,
truncate, twice as wide behind as in front, corrugated, with a longi-
tudinal median dorsal channel on the anterior half. The thorax is

No, 1.] ° _ Fruit Trees. . 69

flattened dorsally in the middle, this flattening being carried on to the
anterior portion of the thorax. Latter with a crescent-shaped anterior
edge and tapering to a blunt point behind with longitudinal rows
of pits on them. Legs black, tarsi yellowish brown. Ventral
surface black. Long. 6 ;%th inch; @ slightly larger.

This insect was renotted from Katha i in Upper Burma by Mr. J.
Messer, Deputy Conservator of Forests, as being particularly dest
tructive to fruit trees and ornamental shrubs. In his letter dated 7th
April 1902, Mr. Messer wrote, ‘I send you specimens of a beetle which
is particularly destructive in Katha this year though I have observed is
for years past. It attacks fruit trees particularly, véz., peach, plum, and
mango (most of all), and it is not averse to certain ornamental shrubs.
in the gardens here. It eats the leaves, leaving only the mid rib and
devours the flowering shoots wholesale, leaving only the bare stems-
The damage seems to be HOLS only by the imagoes, and I have seen
nothing yet of larve or pup.’

In a letter dated 12th March 1903, written in reply to queries
asking for information upon this latter point, Mr. Messer stated that
the insect was just beginning to be numerous again upon the frait
trees in his garden,

It is thus apparent that the mature insect is to be found early
in March, and the question to be answered is where does it lay its
eggs, for ie is probably egg-laying towards the end of March or early
in April. Also where do the young larve live and how long is
Spent in this stage? Is there more than one generation in the year?

Remedies.—Until more is known about the insect the question of
the best remedial measures to be employed must necessarily be held
in abeyance. Spraying the trees with Paris-green poison solution
would, if done carefully, kill off the beetles, but such could only be
undertaken whilst the trees were still flowering or had only quite
young fruit upon them, Once the fruit had reached or nearly
reached a pluckable size (even if still green and unripe) spraying
with poisons must be discontinued.

5. Longicorn Grubs.
Order, Coleoptera, Family, Cerambycida@.

Some undeterminable longicorn grubs were sent by the Director,
Land Records and Agriculture, United Provinces and Oudh, as
injurious to young mango plants inthe Deccan, They were said to
bore into the branches. In the absence of adult beetles no identifi-

cation of the pest can be made.
Remedies—When young plants are badly affected by internal:
boring insects of this nature, the best plan, if the plants are at a

70 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI:

numerous, is to cut out and burn all infected ones as soon as noticed
in order to prevent the attack from spreading.

_ Points in the life-history requiring further observation.

1. Length of time spent in the grub stage.
2. Length of time spent in the pupal stage,
3. When does the beetle emerge. Specimens of it should be
sent to the Indian Museum, Calcutta, for identification.
4. How many generations of the insect are there in ‘thea
year ?-

6. Hymenopterous Galt on leaves.

Specimens of a hymenopterous gall were sent to the Museum by
the Superintendent of the Darbhanga Gardens on the 2oth January
1903. They proved, however, too dry to enable the insects to be
identified. The eggs are laid upon the leaves and the irritation set
up by the young larva as soon as it hatches out boring into the leaf
tissue causes a gall to form upon the leaves.

More fresh material is required in order ee this pest may be
studied and identified.

Insects infesting the PEACH (Prunus persica).
1. APHIS SP.

Order, Hemiptera. Family, Aphida.

Wingless larva.—Pale canary yellow of the usual aphid shape, the”
posterior segments being larger and thicker than the anterior ones;
two siphons dorsally and posteriorly placed. Antenne 7-jointed.

Winged adult.—Head black. Antennz 7-jointed, blackish.
Prothorax yellow dorsally with black transverse bands, ventrally a
yellow band just beneath head, rest being black. Abdomen yellow
with black patches dorsally ; canary yellow on ventral surface. Siphons
black. Scattered hairs on dorsal posterior segments of body
(behind the siphons). Legs yellow, the femora (thighs) being black
except just at their upper ends: lower portion of tibiz black,
Wings 4, colourless. Long. 1°3 to 1°8 millim.

This insect is a serious pest to Peach trees. The aphids cluster
round the tops of the new year’s shoots and on the leaves of young
trees and suck out the sap, completely aborting the shoot. Young
attacked trees have the ends of all the branches curled up, the new
shoots becoming dwarfed, withered and brown. Acloser inspection
shows that the branches attacked have ceased growth, and instead

No, 1. ] Fruit Trees. 71

of long shoots two feet and more in length, a mass of short stunted
growths a few inches only in lemgth and rapidly dying is all that
is visible. The new spring foliage that may have developed previous
to the attack, or before it had become really severe, had all curled up
and was turning brown or was already brown and dead,

In the attack in question inside the folds on all the green parts
were numbers of the aphids in all stages from tiny little larve to
Winged insects. .

In one instance a young tree had had all its foliage treated in
this way and was evidently dying under the attack.

Remedy.—Spraying with kerosene emulsion was recommended in
the attack in question.

The insect was found by the writer on some peach trees in the
Eastern Dun in North India. All stages of the pest were taken
between the 12th and 15th May 1go2, and the pest was observed to
be multiplying at a rapid rate. It was found that four predaceous
coccinellid beetles were preying upon it. These beetles were
Hippodamia variegata, vat. doubledayt, Celophora sauzett,
Chilomenes sex-maculata and Brumus suturalis, These beetles
are described on pp. 47, 51, 53, and 56 of this number.

Insects infesting JACK FRUIT TREES.
LONGICORN GRUBS.
Order, Coleoptera. Family, Cerambycide.

In January 1902 the Superintendent of the Gardens, Rajnagar,
Darbhanga, forwarded some longicorn grubs which he stated bored
into the trunks of Jack fruit trees causing the trees to bleed profusely,
The identification of the insect could not of course be made from the
grubs. The Superintendent stated that his practice was to syringe
into the trees hot water or carbolic soap which he found effective.

Insects infesting the APPLE and PEAR in Kulu.

The fruit crop of Apple and Pear Trees in orchards in Kulu
suffers very severely from insect attacks, but at present the originator
of the mischief appears to be undiscovered. From the following
letter on the subject which appeared in /udian Gardening and
Planting it will be seen that Colonel Rennick, the owner of the
orchards, attributed the infestation to the numerous maggots which
appear in the rottening fruit. The flies bred out from these maggots

92 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI.

have now been identified, and it is proved that they could not have
been the originators of the mischief. In other words, some other insect
probably starts the injury by laying an egg or eggs on the young
fruit: the grub or grubs hatching out bore into the fruit and at the
wound thus caused, which would leave a small Cecaying spot on the
surface, the flies probably lay their eggs or deposit the maggots. This
would seem to be the probable manner in which the flies got into the
fruit. It is necessary therefore to institute a search at an earlier period
in.the year for the aggressor.
The following are extracts from Colonel Rennick’s letters on the
subject to Judian Planting and Gardening. ‘They show that the
matter is one of considerably serious import to fruit growers in the
Himalayas :—
“T have lost heavily by my fruit crop gathered after the rst Sep-
tember. Every pear had been tainted and 4o to 50 per cent. of
certain kinds of apples.
“] do not know what todo. I have sunk over R50,co0 in laying
out these orchards and in importing the finest specimens of fruit from
France, Holland, England, and Austro-Hungary. Now that half the
orchards are in full bearing, these horrid flies destroy the latter crop,
which is the more valuable, piecemeal. Last year I lost 50 per cent.
of my pears. This year every pear and almost every other apple was
bad. You may judge the extent of the loss when I tell you | have
barely recovered the R1,80u I have paid for carriage after the 1st
September.

‘The rains were so heavy and the foliaee and the grass were so

numerous that we could discover no flies about, and the manager did

not spray the trees as the bark equipment of Vilmorel is barely power-
ful enough to spray the Kulu fruit trees, which attain, unlike those at
home, a very large size, The sun came, and with the sun the fly which
deposited its thousands of worms all round. I was away in Shigri
prospecting, and my gardeners hardly knew what wholesale mischief
the little insect was working.

“The fly in question is a brown fly marked with two streaks and
spots on the back. It is the ‘‘dirt”’ fly—the brown one, and not the
green or blue bottle. It deposits small living worms of this size ( — )
perhaps a little finer. After a while the little beast sinks into the fruit
and destroys it. Last year I collected a whole lot of these maggots,
put them into a large-mouthed bottle with 2 inches of earth and put in
some of the rotten apples and pears. I was under the impression they
were the maggots of the codlin moth, but at the end of 14 or 15 days
here were as many flies as there were worms, somewhat yellow. in

ae.

Pe |

eer

No, 1. ] — Fruit Trees - 73

colour and not brown, I smothered them all, as | was convinced the
intruder was the maggot of a fly which had been deposited on the fruit
when it had come to maturity and not the one ofthe codlin moth,

while the fruit was only a blossom.

“Tam most grateful to you for your offer of identifying the ay It
was not known tothe late Miss Ormerod. [am sending you by to-day’s
posta tin box of apples full of maggots and another small box full of
male and female flies.

“Thave killed two or three different kinds, but the one which dads
the mischief is the brown two-winged fly.

“The question now is, how is he to be destroyed and not driven.
away ?”

On the 11th October, Colonel Rennick wrote :— .

“| have sent you yesterday a small box containing two apples,
Which had been tainted by the fly. One, a Cellini, the other a
Blenheim orange, a sweet and an acid one, which made no difference
to the fly. You will find at the least a dozen fat maggots in them
by the time the box reaches Calcutta. The maggots jump almost a
foot when full grown. They are brought to life as small maggots and
not as eggs,—so different from the home flies.

“Tn another box you will find two match boxes. One contains a
lot of flies, both male and female, I have caught and killed with Cya-
nide of Potassium, and the other a lot of cocoons formed by the
maggots On leaving the fruit to pupate in the soil.

‘‘ From last year’s observations | found that the maggots, the stout
and jumpy ones at any rate, took 13 to 14 days to come out as a fly.
So I had all the fruit cut up and broken, thrown into long shallow
trenches on the 26th September. On the gth and toth October, when
| moved the rotten fruit, I found most of the maggots had left the fruit
and gone into the soil and I had no difficulty in getting out lots of these
cocoons for experimental purposes. The remainder I hope to have
destroyed by flooding the trenches with a solution of sulphate of copper,
soft soap and kerosene oil made up into a kind of concentrated emul-
sion. I find this mixture kills the maggots. I have hatched a lot
of the young flies whichI hope to send you ina day ortwo. Ihave
built a breeding room about a cubic yard for propagating-these flies
and to ascertain their habits and their natural age. It is fitted
with wire gauze ventilators and three large pane glasses to observe what
goes on daily, hourly inthe chamber, ! have caught a fly to-day with
a lot of live maggots in it, and I despair of eradicating the pest. I do
not want to drive it away; but to entirely destroy it. Three flies [
killed a short month ago, the first contained 82 live maggots, the
second 64, and the third 67 maggots!! They are loathsome.”

74 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI.

~Mr. D. W.Coguillett kindly identified the flies submitted to him
by Mr. Howard, and the latter writes as follows upon the subject :—

“The three flies which Mr. de Nicéville sent and which were
considered to have done the great damage to the apple and pear crop:
are simply A/usca corvina Fabr., Sarcophaga princeps, Wied., and
Sarcophaga tznionota, Wied. The first of these three insects is.
cosmopolitan ; the second is from India and China, and the third from
Java; that is, speaking from previous records, It is absolutely
impossible that these flies should have done the damage to the apple
crop described by Mr. de Nicéville. ‘They will attack badly decayed
fruit, and being probably bred from masses of rotten apples or
captured upon such decaying stuff, they have erroneously been .
considered to have been the authors of the damage.”

This is the present position of affairs, I repeat the first and most
important point now to be discovered is what leads to the first decay
in the fruit which enables the flies to lay the maggots init. It is
of the utmost importance that this should be observed and this entails
a very careful watch being kept on the orchards whilst the trees are
in the flowering and fruiting stage. Any insects found to be at alk
plentiful in the orchards at these periods should be collected and
forwarded for identification.

Insect infesting GRAPE VINES.

Cheerocampa butus.
Order, Lepidoptera. Sub-order Heterocera. Family, Sphingide.

Moth.—This moth is of an almost uniform olive green colour.
There is acentral dark line down the forewings. There is also a
very distinct white line on each side of the thorax (above the ~
base of the wings). The hindwings suffused with black with a
yellow patch on inner and lower edge. The undersurface of the
abdomen and wings yellowish, speckled with brown.

Larva.—The colour of the larva is usually a dirty brown.
There is a light band on each side of the body.

The caterpillar feeds upon the leaves, injuring the plants and
rendering them unsightly.

Remedies.—Since the Jarva is a large one hand-picking to
remove them could be easily resorted to. All caterpillars collected
should oe killed.

Spraying with Paris green or London purple (see previous volumes
of these Notes) could be resorted to as long as there are only flowers
or young and immature fruit upon these trees. This spraying would
have the advantage of also killing off other leaf-feeding insects
upon the plants.

No: 1, ] | laies a 75.

* (I —INSECT PESTS OF PLANTS. * -
Insect infesting HEDGES in Rurki.

1. Clania crameri, Moore. The Faggot Worm.
Order, Lepidoptera, Sub-order, Heterocera. Family, Psychide.

Previous Reference 0 M. Notes, Vol. I, p. 204, Vol. II, p.157,; Vol. Ills
“p. 133 and 14 (4); Vol. 1V, pp. 17 and 41.

This insect, as will be seen from the above references, has often:
been alluded to in these notes.

In this instance it appeared in numbers on the hedges in the
Royal Artillery Lines at Rurki and was sent for identification to the
Superintendent of the Saharanpur Botanical Gardens, who forwarded:
the specimens to the Museum, ~

Remedies advised.—(a) Collection of larval cases by hand-picking.
As the female moth is wingless and never leaves the case, the eggs
being laid in it in the later stages of the attack (¢.¢., when the little
faggots are seen to have become stationary), this is the best remedy-
Burn all collected cases. i

(6) Spray the hedges with a solution of Paris-green or London.
Purple. The method of doing this has been often previously
described in these notes.

Insect infesting ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS.

2. Hypomeces sp.

This insect has already been described above under the mango.
It defoliates ornamental shrubs and plants in Katha in Burma.

3- Tinea ? sp. larva.

The Secretary of the Agri.~Horticultural Society of India,
Calcutta, sent some ‘flies’ attacking rose bushes. Ina rose twig
a small caterpillar, probably a species of 7zea, was discovered, but it
died and nothing further has as yet been made of this attack. -

Insects attacking CASTOR OIL plants.

The following insects were identified for the Government
Botanist, Madras :—

Parasa lepida, Cram.,, alluded to in these notes, Vol..II, p. 158;
Viol pst 2(4)). Voli IVE pp2tandi42:

Euproctis fraterna, Moore. :

The caterpillars were reported as defoliating castor oil plants.

76 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI.-.

IIt,—INSECT PESTS OF VEGETABLES.
Insect infesting CUCUMBER and PUMPKINS.
1. Aspongopus janus, Fabr.

Order, Hemiptera. - Family, Pentatomide.

. (Plate LY, fig. 3; 34.)
This insect is one of the true bugs. The head is a deep black, the
portion behind being red and black. The triangular-shaped parked
at junction of upper wings (the scutellam) is black anteriorly, being
rufous only at apex. Upper wings red; lower ones black: body
black with an elevated margin whichis red. Feet are black. Length
#inch, Plate IV, fig. 3, 3¢ show a dorsal and side view of this bug.

This insect was sent in August 1902 from Chanda in the Central
Provinces. It was reported by Mr. A. E. Lowrie, Deputy Conser-
vator of Forests, to have appeared in his garden in swarms and
to have attacked cucumber and pumpkin stems, committing a great
deal of damage,

The insect commits the damage by sucking out the sap from the
plants it attacks.

Remedy.—Spraying witk kerosene emulsion should kill off. the
insects, or cause them to leave the plants. Hand-picking should be
resorted to in vegetable gardens, as the larger the number of insects
destroyed the smaller will be the number of eggs deposited on the
area, and consequently the fewer the number of insects appearing at
the next generation,

Points in the life-history requiring further observation.

1, Period the insect takes to arrive at maturity (¢.¢., develop
its functional wings) from the date of egg-hatching.

Period spent in feeding and egg-laying by adult insect,

When the eggs are laid.

Number of generations in the year passed through by the
bug.

5. The different food plants of the insect.

eS

Insect infesting CORNFLOUR plants (Centaurea).
2. Dorylus orientalis, Westw.
Order, Hymnoptera. Family, Formicidae.
(Plate 1V, figs. 4, 4a.)
I, M. N.—Previous references—IV, 4, 198; V, 39, 42, 44, 65,
77-79+ ;
This curious ant which, alone in its own sub-family, seems to
attack plants has often previously been reported in this connection.

No. 1.] Vegetables. VET

In this instance the insect was sent from the Botanical Gardens,
Calcutta, by Major Prain, I.M.S., who stated it was attacking the
roots of cornflour plants. The ants are shown in Plate IV, figs. 4, 4a,

Mr. Forel to whom the ants were sent for identification, writes:
The ant... is Dorylus orientalis. It is nearly incredible that this
species should be alone in the sub-families Doryling and Ponerine
in thus attacking vegetables. All other Oe are carnivorous
and hunting ants.

Remedies proposed.—Spraying with the Paris green solution
would prove effective, but it could not be used on vegetables which
were to be shortly after made use of for food.

Points in the life-history requiring further observation.

There area good many points of interest in connection with this ant
which require observation. We require to know what sites the ant
chooses for its nest, which it prefers and at what times in the year
it makes its appearance to commit damage.

Insects infesting POTATO plants.
3. Pyralid caterpillars.
Order, Lepidoptera. Family, Pyralide.

The Sub-Divisional Officer of Narail reported that potato plants.
were suffering in his sub-division from a worm which cut the stems.
In January and February considerable destruction took place from
this cause. The insects sent were caterpillars, probably Pyralidz,
which apparently mine up the stems internally and kill the plants..
Without the adult moths no determination could be effected.

Remedy suggested.—Dig up and burn all plants seen to be
attacked by the worms or, if practicable, cut off infected parts.

Points in the life-history requiring further observation.

1. How long do these worms spend in the potato stem? - :
2, Where do they change into the pupal state? Is it within the
. stem? or do they leave the stem and go down into the

soil ?

3. When do the moths emerge and where do they lay their
eggs? Is it on the potato plant ?

4, How many generations of the insect are there in the year?

5. What cther plants does the caterpillar live upon or in? -

¢

78 Indian-Museum Notes, [ Vol. VI.

I1V.—INSECTS AFFECTING CEREALS AND CROPS.

Insect infesting KUTKI (Panicum milare).

1. Cantharis rouxi, Cast.
Order, Coleoptera. Family, Cantharide.
(Plate 1V, figs. 5, 52).

Vernacular name ‘ Ghauri’ in Central Provinces.

A slender soft beetle. Head is bright sienna brown in colour, the
-eyes being black. Legs more or less ochreous. Wings of a uni-
‘form ochre colour. Length Zths inch. See Plate IV, figs. 5, 5a.

This beetle has been reported as attacking and eating the green
ears of the £utk crop in the Seoni district in the Central Provinces.
The insect is said to thrive during a break in the rains, but is killed
-off by heavy rain. As the crop ripens the beetle appears to be unable
to attack the hardening grain. The same insect was reported about
‘the same time—beginning of September 1902—from Saugor in the
Central Provinces, by Major W. D. Sutherland, M.B., 1.M.S. He
stated it had appeared first on 24th August, and on the 3rd Septem-
ber was still present in the place. It had caused a considerable
amount of discomfort both to Europeans and Natives in the town
owing to its blistering proclivities. |

Remedial méasures.—In the fields spraying with a poison, such
_as Paris green, should prove an effective remedy when it is possible
to apply it.

When pests of this nature appear plentifully in a town, gangs
should be organised and employed to collect or sweep them up.
‘Creosote oil (the ‘l’huille lourde’ of the trade) may be used to
sprinkle over the heaps, thus preventing the disgusting efluvia which
will be given off from the rotting heaps of dead bodies.

Points tn the life-history requiring further observation,

1. When and where the eggs are laid and where the larve feed,
2. Length of time spent in these stages of its life,
3. The number of generations in the year.

Insects infesting MINOR MILLETS,

2. Cantharis tenuicollis, Pallas.
Order, Coleoptera. Family, Cantharida.
(Plate IV. figs. 6, 6a.)
This insect is not unlike the above described beetle. It is slender
‘in build. Head and wings bright metallic green; thorax and eyes

Not] : Cereals and Crops. 79

brown. In the legs the femora (thighs) are metallic green, the tibice
(shanks) and tarsi being brown. Length 2 inch.

Plate IV, figs. 6 and 6a, shows this beetle in two positions.

This beetle was reported in the middle of September from the
Central Provinces as causing damage to the minor millet crops. This
is all that appears to be known about the pest.

In addition to the remedial measures described above under C.
yvouxt it was recommended that when numerous the insects should
be driven through the fields against tarred screens or mats. Any
other suitable sticky substance may be used instead of tar.

Insect infesting MAIZE (Zea Mais),

3. Curculio sp.
Order, Coleoptera. Family, Curculionidae.
- (Plate IV. figs. 7, 7a).

Beetle.—Elongate, fairly slender with short angled antennz.
Prothorax with a transverse depression about centre, Pitted.
Elytra -slope to a blunt point behind. Are pitted and convex.
Plate IV, figs. 7, 7a, shows this insect.

This weevil was reported as committing serious destruction
amongst maize seedlings in the Panch Mahals District, Bombay
Presidency.

In the absence of any further information as to method of attack
upon the seedlings and notes upon the life-history of the pest, which
was new to the Indian Museum Collections, it has not been possible
to prescribe any remedies.

With the exception of the fact that the insect is in its adult stage

at the beginning of August, nothing is known about the life-history
of the pest.

Insect infesting WHEAT.
4. Myllocerus (?) sp.
Order, Coleoptera. Family, Curculionidae.
(Plate IV, figs. 8, 8a).
A small weevil. Body markedly convex. Elytra brown slightly

mottled with greyish white. Antenne and legs brown. Length }
inch. See Plate IV, fig. 8, 82. .

This weevil was sent to the Museum by the Director, Land
Records and Agriculture, United Provinces and Oudh, as_ com-
mitting great damage to young wheat plants on unirrigated plots
of land. The beetles feed upon the wheat leaves by stripping off
the epidermis and also by eating out holes in the leaf tissue. When

80 Indiau Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI.

frightened the insects are said to drop off the leaves and to hide in
the furrows between the rows of plants. The beetles were said
not to-have been found on irrigated land. They were reported from
the Cawnpur Farm towards the end of December 1902, when they
appeared in great numbers on almost every plant in the early
stages of growth. The insect is new to Indian Museum Collections.
Nothing further appears to be known about its life-history.

Points in the life-history requiring further observation.

1. Where are the eggs laid ?
2. Where do the grubs feed ?
3. How often do the beetles appear in a year, #.¢., how many

generations are passed through ?

Insect infesting GANJA. :
5, Plusia nigrisigna, Walk.
Order, Lepidoptera. Sub-Order, Heterocera, Family, Noctuida.

(Plate IV, fig. 9)

I. M.N. Previous Refer. II, 6, 161.

Moth.—F orewings irridescent golden brown, the uniform colour
being broken up by wavy light bands across the wings. Two small
silvery specks in centre of each of the forewings, Hindwings light
brown. Fig. 9 shows this moth.

Caterpillar green with whitish dorsal and lateral lines.

The caterpillars were reported as feeding upon ganja plants in
January. Some of the grubs taken by the Sub-divisional Officer,
Naogaon, were sent to the Museum and moths of the above species

were reared from them.
Insect infesting JUAR (Andropogon vulgare).
6. Chilo simplex, Butl. The Sugar-cane Borer.

Order, Lepidoptera. Sub-Order, Heterocera. Family, Pyvralide.

Previous references in these Notes.—Vol. V., 21, 41, 65, 169.
This insect was very fllly described in the above quoted number

of these notes. ae ee
Juar stalks were found bored by a caterpillar in the rains in the

Central Provinces. ‘fhe grub was said to do considerable damage
ants in seasons of light rainfall, but seems to be killed off

to young pl
The grub hollows out the interior of the stem and

by heavy rain.

No, 1,) Cereals and Crops. 81

then changes to a chrysalis inside it. Moths were reared out of
infected stems sent to the Museum and proved to be Chilo simplex,
-the well-known sugar-borer, We thus have another authentic case
of this insect attacking juar, and it is evident that cane fields
situated in the neighbourhood of juar fields may become infested by
the borer from the iatter, and vce versd.

Cane should not be rotated with juar without allowing the ground
to lie fallow for at least one season.

Insect infesting Kadaz.

@ Spilosoma punctatum, Moore.

Order, Lepidoptera. Sub-Order, Heterocera, Family, Arctiide,

(Plate IV. fig. ro.)

Moth.—Forewings ochreous yellow speckled with a few black
dots which form a more or less irregular line some distance from the
outer margin, These spots are sometimes almost obsolete, Hind-
wings yellowish, sometimes with a tinge of orange. A _ black speck
in centre of and near the upper margin and a similar speck near the
lower margin. Body red with a series of black dots, one dorsal and
two lateral. Thorax ochreous yellow. Legs—thighs red, tibize and
tarsi brown. PI. IV, fig. 10 shows this moth.

Caterpillar hairy.

The caterpillars were reported by Mr. H. E, Parrett, C.S., Collector
of Dinajpur, as seriously injuring Kalai crops in the Kaliagani Thana
of that district in October 1902. Moths were reared in the Museum
from caterpillars sent in October 1902,

Insect infesting 77] and Oorzd.

Undetermined caterpillars locally known as “ Bhuili,” These were
reported by Mr. M. C. McAlpin, C,S., Sub-divisional Officer of
Bettiah, as causing damage to the young plants in fields of #77 and
oorid, No moths were sent and it has therefore been impossible at
present to identify the insect.

8, Hieroglyphus furcifer, Sauss.
Order, Orthopteras Family, Acridiidea.

Previous references in these notes—I. 203; Il, 30, 171% IV.
29, 43,190; V. 20, 49.
Specimens of this insect were sent from the Government Museum,
Madras. They were reported to have done some damage to ‘crops’
G

eS ED Uh useum Notes. [ Vol, VI.

in a village in the Pattukottai Taluk of the Tanjore District. The
insects were said to have been almost destroyed by the villagers.

V.—INSECTS AFFECTING SUGARCANE,
1. Chilo simplex, Butler. The Sugarcane-borer.. —

Order, Lepidoptera. Sub-order, Heterocera, Family, Crambide.

The caterpillar of this moth was again reported as infesting sugar-
cane in August-September in the Nagpur districts. Specimens were
received from the Commissioner of Settle ments and Agriculture.

In June of the same year (1902) the Sub-Divisional Officer, Jangi-
pur, reported caterpillars, thought to be this species, to be infesting
an experimental crop of sugarcane seedlings. The insects were also
present in neighbouring fields of cane, and the damage done was
very large. ie

A similar report was received from the Collector of Gaya, the in-
sects having appeared in the Aurangabad Thana in June,

Remedies.—There can be little doubt that until proper steps are
taken to carefully inspect all seed cane, all infested material being
at_once burnt, there is little chance of gaining control over this pest.
Cleanliness in methods of cultivation, collection, and burning of
litter and refuse in the fields are also requisites. A rotation with a
crop such as juar should be avoided as the insect lives equally well
in both.

VIL.—INSECTS AFFECTING COTTON.

1. Oxycarenses lugubris, Motsch:

Order, Hemiptera. Family, Lygaeide. .

A small bug, ;3,ths inch in length. Head and thorax brown. The
wings are semi-transparent, and overlap the abdomen on all sides.
The antennz are long, upper end black, lower end brown, The pro-
thorax and head are in the form of a triangle, the head forming the
apex. .
This insect feeds amongst the cotton fibre inside the capsules of.
the plant. It was reported from Cawnpore Farm at the beginning of
May by the Director of Land Records and Agriculture. "ve

No. 1.] j Cotton. — 83

2. Dysdercus cingulatus, Fabr.

Order, Hemiptera. Family, Zygaeide.

Previous references,—|. M. Notes, Vol. I., pp. 111, 127, 212 ; Vol. Il, pp. 33;
44,130; Vol. III, p. 57 (5); Vol. LV, pp. 37, 43.
(See Agric, Econ. Entom, Circ. No. 8.)

This insect was reported to feed upon the leaves of the cotton plant
in May 1902, It was sent in company withthe above described
bug.

The insect has been previously reported as feeding upon cotton
at the Kirkee Government Farm near Poona, in the Punjab and at
Seringapatam. The bug is to be found all over the continent and has
at least three generations in the year, one appearing -in March-May, a
second in August and a third in November-December.

Remedtes.—If practicable, spray the plants with kerosene
emulsion,

The Assistant Entomologist, Mr. Peal, has found that D. cingu-
Jatus was attacked in Calcutta by a fungus, but nothing further seems
to have been noted upon this subject.

Points in the life-history requtring further observation.

(1) The time spent in the young stages until the insects have
acquired fully functional wings.

(2) Time spent in the adult stage.

(3) Number of generations in the year.

o Sylepta multilinealis, Green.
Order, Lepidoptera. Sub-order, Heterocera. Family, Pyralide.

A smal! moth. Colour light yellow. Head and thorax spotted
with brown. All fore wings are covered witha close network of
brown lines. There isa brown edging to the outer margin of all
fore wings.

The pupa from which a moth was bred out was found upon a
cotton plant leaf in a cotton field on the Cawnpore Farm towards
the end of August. The moth was identified in the Museum.

4, Hymenia recurvalis, Fabr. Syn. for Zinckenia fascialis,
5 Craw. -

; Order, Lepidoptera, Sub-order, Heterocera, Family, Pyralide.

A small moth, Body and wings dark brown. The forewings
have two white streaks, one on the costa some distance from the apex

84. Indian Museum Notes. — LWol, VIL.

running almost to centre of wing, and one running from centre of
lower margin to beyond the centre of the wing. This latter streak
is more or less triangular.in shape. The hind wings have a broad
central white streak almost connecting costa to lower margin. Legs
white speckled with black, |

This insect was sent from the Cawnpore Farm where it was caught
on the wing in the cotton fields at the beginning of September 1902.
It is not as yet known whether its larva feeds upon the cotton plant.

In the case of both of the above insects we require to know
where the caterpillar lives, upon what it feeds, and how long it spends
in this stage. How long is spent in the chrysalis stage. How long
is spent in the adult or moth stage; where the eggs are laid and how
many generations the insect passes through ia the year,

VII.—INSECTS AFFECTING TEA,

Thosea cana.
Order, Lepidoptera, Sub-Order, Heterocera, Family, Limacodide,
Previous veference.—\. M, Notes, Vol. V. No, 3, p. 136 (larva and pupa).

Moth,—Colour greyish brown. Forewings with a dark oblique
line with light outer edge near centre of wing. Hind wing slightly
browner.

Larva.—Green ; a yellowish white stripe down back and rows of
tubercles on it,

The caterpillars of this insect made their appearance on the
Udaleah Tea Estate in the Chittagong district in the middle of Novem-
ber 1902 and committed considerable havoc by defoliating the tea
bushes. Specimens of the moth were reared by Mr. Mann in
Calcutta and the insect was identified from them.

These caterpillars have previously been reported as appearing in
the months of January.

Mr. Burnell, the Manager of the Udaleah Tea Estate, wrote as
follows with reference to the attack at present under notice :—“ |
am sending you by dak bangi a small bottle containing specimens of
a hairy caterpillar which has madeits appearance at Kolapania, and is
doing havoc amongst the tea plants. I have never known its preva-
lence in other years, and it has appeared in large numbers, and no
less than 50,000 have been collected during the last three days and
destroyed by fire. I should like these caterpillars sent to the Indian
Museum and have a report thereon, for I believe they are found on
Assam and Duars Gardens. ..,... These caterpillars have also lately

No, 1,] Tea-Fabrics.. 85

made their appearance at a neighbouring Garden, Baramasia, Fati-
chira Tea Company.” i
_ Remedies—Collect and burn the caterpillars and chrysalids.
Mr. Burnell, by taking the prompt action he did inthe matter,
undoubtedly saved his tea bushes from a later and what would have
almost certainly proved an even more serious attack. In the case of
sudden visitations of this nature upon tea bushes there can be little
doubt that a few dozen smart youngsters put on to the infested area
with baskets, or better still kerosene tins containing a little dilute
kerosene, to collect the caterpillars at work, and chrysalids if the
insect is pupating upon the leaves, is the quickest way of ridding the
attacked bushes and has the additional advantage that the danger
of future attacks is quickly reduced to a minimum by the insect thus
being prevented from reaching its egg-laying stage.
Points in the life-history requiring further observation.
1. When the eggs are laid.
2, Length of time passed in the larval state.
3. Number of generations in the year.

VIIL.—INSECTS AFFECTING I‘ABRICS.

Anthrenus vorax, Waterh.
Order, Coleoptera, Family, Dermestide.

Beetle,—Small, yellowish, spotted with brownish black. Length
7th inch.

Grub.—Light brown in colour, covered with a quantity of long
brown hairs. :

This insect is reported from Cawnpore, where it is a source of
considerable loss and trouble to the Cawnpore Woollen Miils Com-
pany, Limited. The Manager in sending the insect to the Museum
forwarded the following notes upon its lifeshistory :—

“‘ The winged insects (beetles) which we sample lay their eggs in
wool and woollen goods, and the resulting hairy grub, also included
in the specimens, is most destructive, as it appears to thrive and
fatten on wool and wool alone. It is chiefly at this season ” [the
manager’s letter is dated 23rd April 1902,—£d.] that the grub
loses its larval character and is transformed into the beetle now sub-
mitted, and there are countless myriads of them in our godowns
and wool sheds. The grubis most in evidence in the rains and
cold weather. The wormelike insect we are not so clear about but
we believe it to be a wool eater.” :

From the above excellent observations it is apparent that this
beetle has at least two generations in the year, the grubs of the first

86.. Indian Museum Notes. (Vol. Vi.

being found in April, those of the second in the rains, Ze, July or
August probably. The Manager stated, however, in a subsequent
letter that larvee were to be found to a certain extent all the year round,

The following further interesting note upon the subject was for-
_ warded to us by the Manager: — |

“ We have been troubled with this insect pest for the past 25 years ;
the damage has been progressive in the sense that we have now a
very much larger stock of wool than we formerly had and the insects
have consequently more extensive growthss Fumigation, I regret,
would be impracticable, as all our wool sheds are open to the atmos-
phere—some on all four sides, others on three sides, The damage
done by these insects is considerable, in that it amounts in value to
several thousands of rupees yearly, and you will therefore appreciate
our desire to find a practicable remedy. It seems tous that the only
chance we have of holding the pest in check is by the liberal use
of some insecticide which, whilst not injuring the wool in any way
shall prove noxious to the insects. Could you put us in the way of
obtaining such an article? It would have to be used literally by
the ton before we could hope to make any headway.”

The Assistant Entomologist of the Museum, Mr. Peal, visited the
Mills and the following short report on the subject is from his pen :—

“T paid a visit to the Cawnpore Woollen Mills during the 3rd week
of June 1902, I first examined the wool sheds which are large, more
or less open structures placed not far away from the mill proper,

“The wool was stacked in piles along the sides and in the centre
of the sheds, Wool from all parts of India and from Australia is
stacked here; ‘the woo! being in most cases, I think, in tightly
pressed bales, but there was also a quantity which appeared to be
merely baled and not pressed. I was informed that it was believed
that the pest was first introduced in wool coming from Rajputana.
On examining the bales I found them in very many cases badly
attacked by the pest. Living grubs and beetles were present in
very large numbers, ‘The wool in many cases was reduced almost to
rubbish and even where the harm done was less, it appeared to
be much damaged and presumably its value depreciated by the staple
being shortened and cut up into small lengths.

‘‘] was informed that it was the practice to have all damaged wool
handpicked, the percentage of serviceable wool recovered being vari-
able, but in many cases 15, 20, or even 30 per cent. of the wool was
utterly ruined.

“I found the insect in the grub pupal and adult stages in large.
numbers. The beetles were flying about to some extent. I noticed

No, 1.] Economic Entomology in eylon, 87

that coolies were employed in the siiey ways between the piled up
bales, in sweeping up the debris from the bales, this debris consist-
ing chiefly of commuted wool and living grubs and pupe, case
pupal cases and dead beetles.

“T was informed that the pest not only attacked the wool in the
sheds, but also woollen articles of clothing, etc., in the houses of the
employees. These houses were situated just across the road and
within a few yards from the back of the wool sheds. The beetles
flying about in the houses in largenumbers in themselves constituted
a pest.

“It is to be feared that the pest has obtained too great a hold on
the wool sheds to be eradicated by any ordinary means. Judging
from the way the bales are packed and stored, and owing to the open
nature of the wool sheds, I am afraid that the only remedy that could
be used would be by the use of carbon bisulphide gas.

I suggested the use of a large chest, sufficiently large to contain
several bales, in which the wool could be fumigated, this work being
carried on as rapidly as possible. That the work should be under-
taken in the cold weather for two reasons: First, owing to the
inflammability of CS 2, and also because the beetle being then least
in evidence there would be a smaller chance of reinfection during
the time that fumigation was undertaken, I also recommended lime
washing the sheds.”

A Ceylon Pest.
Caprinia conchytalis, Green.
Order, Lepidoptera Heterocera. Family, Pyzalide.
(Plate IV. figs. 11, tia, 114.) =

Moth.—Pure white ; head black-brown, the palpi witha metallic
tinge. Anal tuft of male black. Forewing has a broad brown
band along its upper margin. Margins of all wings silvery-white.
Expanse of wings 12 to 14 inches.

This insect is common in India.

_ Plate IV. figs. 11, 11a, 116 show the moth, larva, and pupa, of this
pest.

Specimens of ee insect were received from Mr. Green from
Ceylon with the following note :—

The larva of this moth attacks the young foliage of the Kickxia
trees at the time they put out new leaves (twice a year) and serj-
ously checks the growth. On our plants every single branchlet is
occupied by one or more of the caterpillars, Like most Pyralidze
they spin together the leaves and feed under that shelter—a habit

88 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VI,

which makes it difficult or impossible to reach them with any

spraying operations. The only practical treatment at present is to

watch for the earlier indications of attack, and pluck off all affected

leaves, <r
Economic Entomology in Ceylon.

Of recent years Economic Entomology, under the able guidance
of that indefatigable and distinguished Entomologist, Mr. E. Ernest
Green (who holds the appointment of Government Entomologist) has
made great strides in Ceylon. We have recently received two excel-
lent circulars from his pen which we would wish to shortly draw atten:
tion to here. 7

The first* deals with the life-history of the Tea Tortrix (Caprea
coffearia, Nietner) an insect which was described in Ceylon as long ago
as 1861 by Nietner, it having proved an enemy to the coffee plant in
the island. Of recent years the insect has come again into prominence,
its food plant now, in the absence of the coffee, being the tea bush.
The outbreaks were at first spasmodic, but during the last three years
they have become of a more permanent character and the insect
is responsible for a considerable annual loss of yield in some localities,
this being estimated on some estates at Rs. 10 per acre.

Mr. Green tells us that the yellow eggs are laid upon the tea
leaves. They are very visible and it is this stage that is recommended
as the best in which to institute preventive measures, The larva is
dull green in colour with a shining black head and spins two leaves
together, living in the shelter and feeding on the enclosed surfaces of
the leaves. About a week is spent in the pupa stage. The moths
are pale reddish brown in colour, often striated and mottled with
darker markings. Six to eight weeks is the period of one generation
from egg to moth and there are several generations in the year.

Mr. Green deals at length with various measures of attacking the
pest and mentions the known natural checks. The larva also feeds
upon Grevilleas, Acacias, Albizzias and even Eucalyptus trees, besides
many jungle plants.

The circular is well illustrated.

The second circular t describes the life history and gives notes upon
a severe attack of the Lobster Caterpillar (Stauvopus alternus) an
insect which has been known for some time and which would attract
attention if only owing to the remarkable shape of its caterpillar.

* Circulars and Agricultural Journal of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Ceylon,
Volume II, No.3. The Tea Tortrix by E. Ernest Green.

t Circulars and Agricultural Journal Royal British Botanical Gardens, Ceylon

Me V (1903). The Lobster Caterpillar. A Tea Pest in Ceylon, by E, Ernest
reen,

No, 1.] Economic Entomology in Ceylon. 89

In a letter received from Mr. Green in April he wrote: “ Did |
tell you of the recent extraordinary outbreak of Lobster Caterpillar
on tea here?” (Ceylon). ‘ The caterpillars were present literally in
millions. Over 24 acres (which they have stripped absolutely bare)
they averaged 300 to the bush. Off one single bush I picked and
counted 1,849 individuals.”

Mr. Green notices that, although the caterpillar from its size, colour
and remarkable form (see figure in Vol. III, No 4, p. 11 of these
Notes) would be thought to be a very conspicuous one, yet, as a matter
of fact, it was usually difficult to see iton the bushes as, owing to its
characteristic contorted attitude, it very closely resembles a pieee of
withered and crumpled leaf.

The caterpillars appeared in January-February. Moths began to
appear at the end of February and in March were present in thousands
laying their eggs upon the tea bushes. |

The circular describes the life-history of the pest and suggests
various remedial measures.

It is illustrated by three plates.

We would recommend tea planters in India to procure and read
copies of these excellent circulars,

eee
ig

ms,

PLATE l=

Fic. 1. HEMELYTRON(X 14) . : ‘ < : - ;
» 2 Hinp Wine (xX 14) . . ao

» 3- EDGE oF MEMBRANE OF HEMELYTRON, iene maeniied
os tly |BIGs do. do. do. do.

» 5 & 6, Hinw leg (X 15) . . . : : :
» 7» HIND TARSUS(X 60) . . . . : ,
» 98 TIP OF SCUTELLAR HoRN (x 50) : 5 : E
9» Q» SCUTELLAR HoRN(X 20) : - 5 : 5

go

HELOPELTIS THEIOVORA, WATERHOUSE.

\

US fl J 7 9 ake
INDIAN MUSEUM NOTES, V OL. VI, No. 1 ~ PLATE I.

pisces CLAS a
TR HA AAEENY

3

iW

HEOPELTIS THEIVORA, WATERH.

gt

HELOPELTIS THEIOVORA, WATERHOUSE,

PLATE IIl—
Hic. 1. Tip or SCUTELLAR Horw (x 170) ise Pe :
» 2. ROSTRUM, showing insertion of sete (X 20) . °
» 3. Do. — with setz extracted, showing one seta (x 20)
» 4+ Tip oF RosTRUM (x 60) oy : F meee
5) . Soeo: do. front view (X 140) : 5 3
Fs One DOs do. side view (X 140) : ; 2
» 7. OviposiTor, attached to abdomen (x 24) 5 5
» 8. Tip or OvivosiToR (X 60) . : 6 :
» 9. ANAL APERTURE OF FEMALE (xX 60) é : :

Sento, Do. = 2 do: do (x 25) ; : 0

INDIAN MUSEUM NOTES, VOL. VI, No. 1,

PLATH IY,

HELOPELTIS THEIVORA, WATERE.

f

PLATE Iil—

Fic. 1. Hippodamia variegata var. Doubledayi, Muls.—1, Pupa
in situ on Peach leaves; 1a, male; 10, female beetle On

» 2. Hippodamia constellata, Crotch.—Beetle :
» 3. Coccinella septem-punctata, Linn.—Beetle : : e
» 4 Celophora Sauzeti, Muls.—4, larva; 4a, beetle 6 -
» 5» Synonycha grandis, Muls.—Beetle . : 2 Rae on >
» 6. Chilomenes sex-maculata, Muls.—Beetle . 0 e 5
» 7» Chilocorus ciycumdatus, Muls.—Empty larval skins on a

piece of bark : : : : : . 5
» & Brumus suturalis, Muls.— Bente Z 5 F ; 5 J
» 9 Vedalia fumida var. roseipennis. - Beetle ; : : Ly
», 10. Vedalta discoloy,~—10, Pupa case ; 10a, beetle . ; :

» 11. Vedalia Guérinit, Crotch.—11, 114, dorsal and side view
of larva; 110, 11c, dorsal and side view of pupa;
11d, beetle . 5 ‘5 A 5 3 ‘

» 12. Vedalia sp.—12, 12a, dorsal and side view of larva A

Notge.—The small figures and hair lines represent the actual size of the insects.

INDIAN MTISEUM NOTES, VOL. VI., No. 1. : PLATS III.

G. C. Chuckraburtty, del. Litho. by A. C. Chowdhary.
1. Hippodamia variegata var. doubledayi, Muls. 7. Chilocorus circumdatus, Muls.
2. Hippodamia constellata, Crotch. 8. Brumus suturalis, Muls.
3. Coccinella septem-punctata, Linn. 9. Vedalia fumida var. roseipennis.
| 4. Coelophora sauzeti, Muls. 10. Vedalia discolor.
5. Sinonycha grandis, Muls. ; 11. Vedalia guérinu, Crotch.

6. Chilomenes sex-maculata, Muls. 12. Vedalia sp.

93

PLATE IV—

Fic. t. Dinodevus distinctus Lesne—1, ta, dorsal and side
view of beetle; 1b, antennz; 1¢, leg (all magnified).

», 2. Hypothemnus? sp.—2, 2a, dorsal and side view of
beetle; 2b and 2c, antennz and leg; 2d, larva (all
magnified) : : 2 :

3. Aspongopus janus Fabr.—2, aerear view ; 34, sds view ,
4. Dorylus orientalis Westwr.—4, dorsal view ; 4a, side view
» 5 Cantharts rouxt Cast—5, dorsal view ; 5a, side view .
6 Do. tenuicollis Pallas—6, dorsal view; 6a, side

view . : : : : : - :
» 7» Curculio sp. —7, peel view ; 74, aide view . é ;
» 8. Myliocerus ? sp.—8, dorsal view ; 8a, side view
» 9. Plusia nigrisigna, W\k.— Moth :
» 10. Spilosoma punctatum Moore—Moth . . . .
11. Caprinia sonchylalis Guen.—11, Moth; 11a, larva;
11d, pupa . : : : 5 ° ° *
12. Aphis sp.—12, 12a, young aes: 126, mature winged
insect ° ° . . ° . e a e

NotTr.—The small figures and hair lines give the actual size of the insect.

i a

o—

INDIAN MUSEUM NOTES, VOL. VI, No. 1. PLATE TV.

i 1. Dinoderus distinctus, Lesne. : 7. Curculo sp.
2. Hypothemnus? sp. 8. Myllocerus? sp.
3. Aspongopus janus, Fabr. 9. Plusia nigrisigna, Wlk.
. Dorylus orientalis, Westw. 10. Spilosoma punctatum, Moore.
“5. Cantharis rouxi. 11. Caprinia Conchylalis, Guen.

6. Cantharis tenuicollis. 12a) Avpiisy spy

.

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