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spring ; Chilo simplex and an unidentified species of the same genus, 

 which also hibernate in the stubble ; and Sesamia inferens which 

 remains active throughout the year. 



Borers attacking Graminaceous plants in addition to Chilo simplex, 

 Diatraea auricilia, and D. venosata, recorded in the previous year, 

 included a species of Chilo in Saccharum arundinaceum and 

 S. fuscum, and ? Anerastia ahlutella in sugar-cane. A key to the 

 larval forms of these borers is given. Among insects, other than borers, 

 foimd underground among the roots of sugar-cane were : — Anomala 

 bengalensis, A. hiharensis, Adoretus caliginosus, Autoserica sp., Myllo- 

 cerus discolor, M. hlandus, Monolepta signata, Formicomus sp., Pachne- 

 phorus sp'., Alissonotum piceum, A. simile, Apogonia sp. and an 

 unidentified Chrysomelid. Of these, A. bengalensis did a small 

 amount of damage through the larvae entering the basal part of new 

 shoots from the side, causing a dead heart, but the rest were of very 

 minor importance as pests. Sugar-cane grown on a piece of waste 

 land overgrown with Saccharum spontaneum and Imperata arundinacea 

 brought Gryllotalpa africana prominently into notice as a pest of 

 young sugar-cane, as much as 15 per cent, of the plants being damaged 

 by it. The attempt to protect sugar-cane setts from termites by dip- 

 ping them in a solution of 1 lb. lead arsenate in 2 gals, cold water 

 met with no success, the liability of sugar-cane to damage by termites 

 depending largely on the nature of the soil in which it is grown, being 

 less in clayey soils than in sandy ones. 



An investigation of the parasites of the indigo Psyllid {Arytaina 

 isitis) was begun in April 1918, and so far three species of Chalcids 

 have been obtained, one of these being very common. 



It has been found that the " tukra " disease of mulberry, resulting 

 in curling and malformation of the shoots and new leaves is due to 

 the presence of an unidentified species of Pseudococcus. This mealy- 

 bug becomes active at Pusa at the beginning of March and passes 

 through a complete life-cycle in 24 days, the generations however over- 

 lapping. The mature nymphs, as well as the females, are parasitised 

 by three species of Chalcids, one of which is particularly effective. The 

 larva of a Cecidomyiid fly (? Coccodiplosis sp.) has been formd to attack 

 the eggs, the fly maggots being found chiefly in the ovisacs of the mealy- 

 bug. The larva of a Coccinellid beetle also attacks the njnnphs and 

 females of this mealy-bug. The removal and burying or burning 

 of affected mulberry shoots was not efficacious, as the nymphs hide 

 in the crevices of the unexpanded leaf-buds. A thorough spraying 

 with fish oil-resin soap subsequent to the removal of affected shoots 

 might probably prove more effective. 



A Lepidopterous fruit pest found on apple in north-west India 

 and Assam has been identified as Gracilaria zachrysa, Meyr. 



Among the numerous insects reared in the insectary the following 

 new pests are recorded : — An unidentified Longicorn borer (? Nupserha 

 sp.) found in stems of Vigna catjang in August, which bores in the 

 main stem causing it to swell, the plants, though not killed, becoming 

 stunted and bearing no fruit ; a Pyralid, an undescribed species of 

 Tiratliaba, boring into young coconut fruits on the tree and causing 

 them to drop off, similar damage being caused in Fiji by an allied 

 species, Tirathaba trichogramma, Meyr. ; Diocalandra frumenti 

 {Calandra stigmaticollis), reported as killing large coconut trees by 



