Mr. Fletcher. 
806 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 
Myiopardalis pardalina is well-known as attacking melons in Balu- 
chistan and there was an article by Mr. Cleghorn about this in the 
Agricultural Journal of India about three years ago. We have 
since found this species at Pusa and it is probably fairly widely distri- 
buted. 
Aulacophora abdominalis grubs have also been found to attack melon 
fruits at Jullundur, boring in the fruits in the portion in contact with 
the ground. This form of damage was first noted in 1915 and was 
serious, more than that caused by Fruitfly. We considered this insect 
just now and there is no more to add. Probably a small handful of 
kerosinized ashes under the fruits would ward off attack. 
Acythopeus citrulli was recently described by Dr. Marshall from 
examples reared from water-melon at Hagari, in the Bellary District. 
This weevil was found actually dog damage to a few fruits, but its 
status as a pest is doubtful. 
Bottie-Gourp (Lagenaria vulgaris). 
[| Kaddu—Hind. | 
The pests of Bottle-gourd are practically the same as those of melons: 
and pumpkins, but in addition we get :— 
Plusia chalcytes. 
Sphenarches caffer. 
Plusia chalcytes has been reared on bottie-gourd at Pusa but is scarcely 
a pest. 
Sphenarches caffer is briefly described and figured in “ South Indian 
Insects,” pp. 445-444, fig. 320, and we haye since illustrated the life- 
history on a new coloured plate. The eggs are laid singly on leaves 
and the caterpillars eat holes in the leaves, on which, or on stems of 
the foodplant, they pupate when full-grown. This insect is a minor 
pest of bottle-gourd but has a very wide range of foodplants. having 
been reared on leaves of bottle-gourd, buds of Luffa sp., petals of 
Hibiscus mutabilis, flowers of Cajanus indicus, Averrhoa bilimbi flowers, 
Biophytum sensitivum, and various other plants. It is common through- 
out India, Burma and Ceylon and, outside of India, throughout Australia 
and Africa. As regards bottle-gourd, it is a very minor pest and 
remedial measures are rarely necessary. 
Metacanthus pulchellus was sent in in March 1913 as damaging 
bottle-gourd plants at Baroda by puncturing young fruits. It 1s widely 
distributed in India but does not seem to be a serious pest as a rule. 
