388 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



To the general reader and those unfamiliar with the peculiar 

 problems that confront the economic entomologist in India, the 

 introductory remarks by Mr. Fletcher will be found interesting. 

 He gives much sound advice on the need of exactness in the mak- 

 ing of observations and recording of data. The life-histories of 

 most Indian insects are as yet very imperfectly known, and there 

 are gaps in our knowledge of the life cycles of some of the com- 

 monest species, such as, e. g., Agrotis ypsilon and Pieris hrassica, 

 both of which, during certain months, disappear completely from 

 the affected regions, the adults suddenly reappearing after a long 

 absence to deposit their eggs. Their disappearance is probably 

 due to migration, but nothing is definitely known as to their 

 movements. Such information is necessary in order to determine 

 the most effective methods for their control. 



In the body of the report the various crops are taken up in 

 order, the pests enumerated in each case, and each species is then 

 discussed in its turn. On account of the enormous field covered 

 the specific accounts of the numerous pests are necessarily very 

 brief; the object of the meeting having been to bring up for dis- 

 cussion any questions or recent observations by the members, on 

 matters of importance in their work. It should be remembered, 

 in this connection, that in India there is but one entomological 

 staff, the work of the provinces being under the advice and direc- 

 tion of the Imperial Entomologist. 



In order to give the reader some idea of the variety of crops 

 and other plants grown for useful purposes in India, the following 

 classification employed in the report may be quoted from the 

 table of contents. The figures refer to the number of different 

 crops listed under each heading: Hill crops, 6; leguminous field 

 crops, 24; oil seeds, 7; Malvaceae, 10; non-malvaceous fibre crops, 

 3; sugar cane, paddy (rice) and other cereals, grasses and fodder 

 crops, 23; fruit-trees, 38; palms, 4; garden plants, 15; drugs and 

 dyes, 5; cruciferous crops, 10; other vegetables and condiments, 

 31. There is also a section on stored products, 3. 



The various insect pests discussed and the crops they infest 

 are so numerous and so unfamiliar to most of our readers that it 

 would be useless to give them more than a passing notice. A few 



