76 FAMILY SCARABAEIDAE 



Serica sp. 



Habitat. — United Provinces Sal Forests. 

 Tree Attacked. — Sal {Shona robusta). Horai. 



Beetle. — Ovate. Very dark chestnut-brown, almost black. Prothorax wider than long, 



sides rounded ; surface finely punctate, dull. Elytra rather finely striate, striae less well 



defined laterally ; the intervals convex, finely and irregularly punctate ; 



Description. dull, with a very short pubescence apically. Tibiae of hind legs very 



broad, tarsi lighter brown. Length, 9.3 mm. Described from a 



single damaged specimen. 



Larva. — The larva is a smallish white, curved, crinkled grub of about 18 mm. ia length. 



I took one or two full}- matured grubs, some pupae, and a mature beetle 



of this insect from the soil beneath the humus layer at 



Life History. the roots of sal-trees in the Horai Forest in the first part 



of May igo8. The grubs feed on the smaller roots of 



the sal and on the thinner bark of larger roots. The beetle issues on the 



wing during May and probably June. 



Serica ? sp. 



Habitat. — United Provinces Sal Forests. 

 Tree Attacked. — Sal {Shorea robusta). Horai. 



Beetle. — (Jvate. Red-brown, moderately shining, elytra yellowish brown, antennae and 



tarsi brown. Front of head finely rugose, with a transverse median carina. Prothorax wider 



than long, sides rounded, finely punctate. Elytra striate, the intervals 



Description. rather broad, flat, and finely and fairly densely punctate, the lateral 



margins of whole insect fringed with longish brown spiny hairs. 



Under-surface brown, finely punctate; hind femora and tibiae broad. Length, 7.1 mm. 



Described from two damaged specimens. 



This insect was taken in company with the last in the soil at the foot of 

 sal -trees in the Horai Forest. The grubs feed on the roots of the tree. 

 The food of the beetle is unknown. 



Serica ? sp. 



Reference. — P. M. Lushington, The Insect Pests of Sivietenia macrophylla, Ind. For. vol. xxxi, 



p. 74 (1905). 



Habitat. — Nilumbur Teak Plantations. 



Tree Attacked. — Blackwood or Rosewood {Dalbcrgia latifolia) ; 

 Mahogany {Swietenia uiacvophylla) (P. M. Lushington). 



Very little appears to be known on the subject of this insect. In a note 

 on the Insect Pests of the Mahogany (above referred to), 



Life History. Mr, p. M. Lushington recorded the following observa- 



tions on its habits : — 



" More serious damage seems to be done (to the mahogany) by an 

 insect which I have been unable to discover. This attacks the leaves, but 



