1 66 FAMILY BOSTRYCHIDAE 



infested by the bracket-like fungus Polystictus {Polyporus) e^re^^ius, Massee, and 

 owed their sickly condition to this fact. The Sinoxylon beetles had attacked 

 them near the foot of the trunk, and had penetrated down into the base of 

 the root a foot or two below the surface of the soil. The Alindria beetles 

 taken were mostly mature, whilst the bulk of the Sinoxylon were in the pupa 

 or immature-beetle stage, with a few mature beetles. A few Alindria larvae 



were taken, and these feed predaceously upon the 

 Sinoxylon grubs. I have not ascertained whether 

 the Alindria beetles feed upon the mature Sinoxylon 

 ones, Init they attack the immature beetles. 



Melambia sp. prox. memnonia, Fascoe (p. 115). — 



The Melambia beetles are of stouter build than the Alindria, 

 and easily distinguished by the anterior outer angles of the 

 prothorax, which is broader than long, being produced forward, 

 the anterior margin being sunk between them ; the elytra are 

 broader behind, thickset, bluntly rounded at apex, the suture 

 not gaping at apex ; the three terminal joints of antennae are 

 prominent, as in cockchafer beetles. In the species here 

 dealt with, the sides of the thorax are straight, slightly con- 



,, , , . '■ ''' stricted in posterior half, the posterior marginal prolonga- 



Melatnbia sp. prox. mein)io- . . -r 1 . . 11.. 



nia, Pascoe. Changa Manga, ^'ons promuient. uniformly punctate, punctures large ; elytra 



punctate-striate, punctures tine. Length, 14.5 mm. to 16 mm. 



This insect was found preying upon the Sinoxylon beetles in tunnels in 

 d\'ing sissu-trees at Changa Manga, in company with the Alindria beetles 

 described above. It was not found to be numerous. 



Melambia crenicollis, Gnev. (p. 114). — Resembles the last in general shape, 

 but dithers in having the sides of the prothorax rounded, the anterior marginal prolonga- 

 tions being smaller and the elytra much more strongly punctate-striate than in J/, sp. prox. 

 >ugm)ionia. Length, 12.5 mm. to 13.5 mm. 



I have taken this beetle in the mature state in sal-trees in the Siwaliks, 

 (Dholkhand) towards the end of January igoi and 1902, and in Terminalia 

 chebula, in Mandla, in April 1909. 



Tenebroides (Trogositita) rhizophragoides, Walker (p. 115). — The beetle 



is long, rather narrow, flat, with a prominent head and mandibles, and a squarish prothorax. 

 Elytra finely striate-punctate, dark brown in colour. Length, 8 mm. 



Specimens of this beetle were bred out of a log of Terminalia toiiicntosa 

 badly infested by Sinoxylon crassuni beetles. Observations showed that both 

 the grubs and mature beetles are predaceous upon the Sinoxylon insects. 



Hectarthrum heros, Fabr. (p, 116). — The beetle is black, shining, with long, 

 prominent, thickly jointed antennae and prominent mandibles. The prothorax is elongate, 

 smooth, with a longitudinal impressed line laterally. The elytra smooth, rounded at apex, 

 with several longitudinal channels down them. Length, 12 mm. The heavy, knobbed 

 antennae, prominent head and mandibles, and the smooth, shining, black appearance of 

 the insect, render it easily recognizable. 



