92 



FAMILY SCARABAEIDAE 



OXYCETONIA. 



Oxycetonia versicolor, Fabr. 



Reference. — Fabr, Syst. Ent. 1775, p. 51 ; Schaum. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1849, p. 264, 



Habitat. — Dehra Dun. Common in the plains. 

 Tree Attacked. — Rose-bushes. 



Beetle.— Shining, small, reddish coppery ; margins of thorax, elytra, also along the 

 suture of the elytra, green ; dorsal surface of 

 the insect covered with small white spots, 

 being especially numerous on the elytra. 

 Length, 18 mm. 



Not very much appears to be 



known about the 



Life History. life history of this 



insect. The beetle 



is very common in July and August 



Fig. ^j.—O.iytt'- in IJehra Dun, when it feeds upon the Fk;. 55.- C.rj'f,?- 



r^/.. ,ro^ o petals ot roses and occasionally the ; t 



coiof% var. a. t^ -J color, var. d. 



{¥\om F.B.l.) Hibiscus. (From F. B. /.) 



Oreoderus. 

 Oreoderus gravis, Arr. 



Reference. — Air. Faun. Br. Ind. Lamell. i, p. 288. 



Habitat. — South Coimbatore, Madras. 



Trees Attacked. — Bamboos {Dendvocalauius stvictus and Bauihusa arun- 

 dinacea). Mount Stuart, South Coimbatore. 



Beetle. — A small bulky weevil. Black, corrugated and crinkled, 

 the elytra flat on disk. Head concealed beneath the deeply chan- 

 nelled and coarsely rugose prothorax ; 

 Description. latter broadest behind the basal margin 



medianly produced. Elytra mucli broader 

 than prothorax, flat on top, vertically depressed downwards laterally; 

 apex truncate, leaving exposed a short broad pygidium ; depressed 

 and rugulose in middle, elevated laterally into a prominent ridge 

 which is prolonged into a short tooth at apex. Pygidium and under- 

 surface black, the body thick, legs rather elongate and slender, the 

 anterior tibiae with two large teeth on outer edge. Length, 9 mm. 



Fig. 56. 



Oreoderus gravis^ Arr. 



South Coimbatore. 



I took a specimen of this weevil on a thicket 

 of young bamboos at the end of August 1902 at Mount Stuart in South 

 Coimbatore. It is the only individual of the species I have taken. 



