FAMILY BOSTRYCHIDAE 145 



Beetle. — Of considerable size ; dark brown to black ; anterior edge 

 of the protliorax covered with a bright red pubescence ; under-surface 

 covered with a dense rufous pubescence. Front 

 Description. of head very finely punctured. Prothorax not as 



wide as long, and markedly narrower in front, 

 rounded on sides and at the posterior angles ; covered posteriorly with 

 imbricate scales {^) or flat granulations ($). Apical declivity of elytra 

 with two marginal tubercles on each side, less marked in female, in 

 which the elytra occasionally develop rasp-like prominences between the 

 punctures ; elytra in both sexes covered with a very line and short rufous FiG. 92. 



pubescence. Length, 12 mm. to 18 mm. Schistoceros ano- 



T-,-,, 1-1- • ^-fii J Inoides, Water- 



1 nis l)ostrycnid is a common insect in Smf^bhum, and house India. 



indeed throughout Chota Nagpur, where 



Life History. it tunnels in compaii}' with Sinoxylon analc into sal 



timber. In 1895-7 ^ noticed that the green sal beams, 

 rafters, and other materials used in the construction of the new rest-houses 

 being built in the forests were very seriously riddled by these insects. 

 The beetle bores into the timber to oviposit, the grubs eating out ramifying 

 galleries in the heart of the wood, and pupating at the end of them when 

 full-grown. The beetles, when mature, either leave the tree by a hole tun- 

 nelled out by a companion, or tunnel one to the outside for themselves. 



Observations made during" 1895-7 showed that in Singbhum the insects 

 commence work early in March, and they, or their grubs, are to be heard 

 operating in the wooden beams, etc., of the bungalows from that month to 

 the beginning of the cold weather. Under their operations, tables, chairs, 

 and floors were constantly covered with particles or little mounds of saw- 

 dust dropping down from the roof. I noticed that most of the work w^as 

 done in the early morning, evening, and during the night, the sounds ceasing 

 and the insect resting during the heat of the dav. 



The beetle has been taken on the wing in Belgaum in March, and I have 

 taken it between March and June in Chota Nagpur. There is probabl}- 

 more than one life-C3'cle in the year. 



From an imperfect identification of this insect, I ha\e previousl}' alluded 

 to it as BostrycJiopsis jesnita. This latter is an Australian species, and it is 

 improbable that it will be found in India. 



BOSTRVCHOPSIS. 



Bostrychopsis parallela, Lesne. 



References. — Lesne, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. p. 534 (1898); Bostrychus parallelus, iLesne, .Inn. Soc. Fr. 

 p. 174 (1895) ; Stabbing, Depart. Notes, i, 174 (1902). 



Habitat. — Raipur, Central Provinces {A. M. Long); Calcutta. Also 

 reported from the Deccan, Bengal, Assam, Indo-China, Formosa, Sumatra, 

 Philippines. 



Trees Attacked. — Bamboo {Dendrocalainns strictns) : Raipur ; Siuilax sp. 

 (Guerin-Meneville). 



9003 K 



