498 



failed, this moth being chiefly kept in check by crows. Experiments 

 not yet completed show that petrol used in small quantities would be 

 a very satisfactory fumigant for Bruchids and other beetles infesting 

 grain. 



Other pests were Agrotis ypsilon on vegetables and Zeuzera cqffeae 

 and Xylehorus compaclus on tea. 



Against shot-hole borer of tea [Xijleborus fornicatus] various insecti- 

 cides were tested immediately after pruning, the most effective mixture 

 being made of 10 lb. of Tennant's yellow bar soap, 5 lb. of resin and 

 1 gal. of fish-oil, used as a 30 per cent, solution. 



Jardine (N. K.). Special Investigation into Tea ToTtrix.—Rept. 

 Ceylon Dept, Agric, 1918, 12th February 1919, pp. C. 12-13. 



The work on Homona cqffearia has been continued, especially with 

 regard to natural means of control. No egg-parasites have yet been 

 found. Birds devour the caterpillars to some extent, but also destroy 

 the larval parasites. Bats, Uzards and mason wasps are of little or 

 no value in controlling this moth. Endeavours to propagate poly- 

 hedral disease among healthy larvae have failed, and the organism 

 does not appear to spread among them unless there is overcrowding 

 and lack of food. 



Loos (K.). Einige Beobachtungen, Versuche und Untersuchungen 

 uber die Lebensweise der Tachine, Parcifietigena segregata, Rdi., 

 auf dem Libocher Herrsehaftsgebiet. [Some Observations, 

 Experiments and Researches on the Life-History of the Tachinid, 

 Parasetigena segregata, Rdi., in the Liboch Territory.] — Vereins- 

 schr. Forst-, Joi^d- u. Naturkunde, Prague, 1915-16. no. 12, pp. 

 537-563. [Received 9th September 1919.] 



This is a full account of the author's investigations on Parasetigena 

 segregata, Rond,, a Tachinid parasite of the nun moth, Porthetria 

 {Lymantria) monacha. The influence of dry, warm, sunny weather 

 on this fly is very marked, and it is quite possible that oviposition 

 may be temporarily suspended during continued cold, wet weather. 

 In the warm year 1911 oviposition was at its height between 14th 

 and 24th June, 50 per cent, of the host eggs being parasitised, whereas 

 in the cold year 1909 oviposition only reached that height at the end 

 of June and immediately decreased. Of 284 caterpillars collected 

 on 24th June 1911 those harbouring Tachinid eggs amounted to 143, 

 of which 93 contained one egg, 31 two eggs and 19 three eggs. Oviposi- 

 tion is usually effected in the crowns of the trees, this being the 

 situation where P. monacha is chiefly found. As a general rule few 

 caterpillars are found to be parasitised beneath the sticky bands in 

 forests where banding is practised. Moreover, banding is usually 

 done in forests that have been thinned, and thinning exposes the 

 crowns to more light and renders them more attractive. The 

 Tachinid eggs required about 6 days for development in 1911, though 

 according to Escherich at least 8| days are necessary. Owing to the 

 comparatively long development period of these Tachinid eggs, it 

 occasionally happens that when the nun moth larvae moult some 

 unhatched eggs are cast off with the skin and it is estimated that from 



