200 FAMILY BUPRESTIDAE 



With his report on the destruction caused by beetles to babul in the 

 Buldana Plantation in November 1907, Mr, Srinivasalem Naidu, the 

 Divisional Officer, forwarded numbers of beetles of two kinds. The one 

 proved to he Coeloster)ia scabnita (p. 358), the other Psiloptera fastuosa. This 

 beetle appears on the wing in November in Berar, is apparently very 

 abundant, and injures the stems of the trees by peeling off the bark. The 

 damage done to the young stems of babul is easily distinguishable and 

 is shown in pi. xi. 



Neither the eggs nor larvae have yet been discovered. It is probable, 

 I think, that they are laid on the stem, and that the grubs feed in the bast 

 layer and outer sapwood, mining out flat irregular galleries here. Many 

 members of this genus feed in this way, and it is in this position that the 

 grubs should be searched for. 



It is of considerable importance that the full life history of this insect 

 should be worked out, so that the significance of its appearance with 

 Coelosternn scabrata in the babul plantations may be ascertained. 



Mr. J. D. R. Bell, I.F.S., has reported that the beetle is excessively 

 common in Kanara during the monsoon in August and September. 



Psiloptera coerulea, Oliv. 



References.— Oliv. Entom. ii, gen. 32, 21, pi. 4, fig, 35 (1790) ; Gemm. et Harold, v, 1365. 



Habitat.— Belgaum, Kanara (Bell). Also taken in Pondicherry and 

 Ceylon. 



Tree Attacked.— .4 caci^?^ arahica. Belgaum, Kanara (Bell). 



Beetle.— Resembles fastuosa in shape, size, and punctation. IJlue or blue-green, dull. 

 Head green. Elytra with a golden-red or crimson band medianly. Prothorax with a trans- 

 verse median depression just above basal margin. The band of 

 Description. colour on elytra either broad or narrow, merging into green on sides 



and then into deep blue on the lateral margins. A triangular patch 

 of yellow pubescence in lateral upper corner of abdominal segments. Legs green, tarsi bronze- 

 green. Length, 16.5 mm. to 26 mm. ; breadth, 6 mm. to 10,25 mm. 



Easily distinguishable from fastuosa by the totally dissimilar colouring above and 

 beneath, and in the triangular patches of yellowish pubescence on the abdominal segments. 

 \\\ fastuosa the pul^escence usually covers the whole of this region. 



The insect has been taken on Acacia arahica trees during the rainy 

 months. 



Psiloptera viridans, Kerremans, 



Reference.— Kerremans, Ann. Soc. Ent. Beli;. xxxvii, 329 (1893). 



Habitat.— Mandla, Central Provinces, Also reported from Kanara, 

 (Andrewesj and Sylhet, 



Trees Attacked.— Sal (Shorca rohusta) ; Terminalia tomentosa. Banjar 

 Valley, Mandla. 



