88 E. P. Stebbing — Economic Entomology. [Apr. 



We then turned to consider the second group — Nature's remedial 

 measures on natural checks. Such followed Nature's laws, but can, 

 when thoroughly understood, be pressed into the service of man. We 

 stated that it is probable that most insects are subject to such checks, 

 which are of two kinds — the parasitic or internal feeding group and the 

 predaceous or external feeding group. It was shown that little was 

 known of the first lot, which comprised the Ichneumon, Chalcid, and 

 Tachnid flies. The second group are better known in some parts of the 

 world, though this is not the case in India. Cultivators often send them 

 as pests to their crops, overlooking the real one upon which the predaceous 

 insect is actively feeding. It was pointed out that such should be studied 

 and protected so as to make use of them by introducing them into parts of 

 the country where they do not at present exist, but where they are likely 

 to prove beneficial to combat pests. Instances of a tiger beetle and lady- 

 bird beetle useful in this way were quoted. Stress was laid upon the 

 point, however, that these checks should only be used by specialists after 

 they have well studied them in the field. If used by the ignorant they 

 are likely to do more harm than good and bring ridicule upon the ques- 

 tion of the effective use of such. 



Finally, the question of the remedies applicable through the direct 

 agency of man was more fully considered. Although little is known 

 upon the subject, and it was useless introducing to the uneducated ryot 

 the up-to-date American apparatus, it was too early to say that spraying 

 mixtures could not be effectively used under certain conditions in India, 

 but their exhaustive trial by the expert was first necessary before they 

 were recommended to the ryot. The life history of the Rice Hispa was in- 

 stanced as a case in point, when by spraying the nurseries before the seed- 

 lings were put out into the fields much might be done to check the spread 

 of the pest. But that the trial of such remedies must only be carried 

 out by responsible persons who thoroughly understood what had to be 

 done or they would be brought into disrepute. The question of fungus 

 remedies is still in its infancy, but the experiments with locust fungus 

 are not considered sufficient to warrant its condemnation in India and 

 it would be advisable to further experiment with it. 



Other remedial measures were of a different nature and depended 

 upon an accurate knowledge of the habits of the insects. Of such, to 

 quote a few instances, were the trench system for killing young locusts, 

 searching out the holes of cricket pests and digging up and killing them, 

 and the search for surgarcane stems infected by internal borers and 

 cutting them out and burning them. 



Lastly, we pointed out that the most satisfactory of all remedial 

 measures would be effected by the study of the varieties of plants which 



