74 



:\IisRA (C. S.). Some Pests of Cotton in North Bih&T,—Rept. Proc. 

 3rd Entom. Mcctini^, Pnsa, Fcbnimy 1919, Calcutta, ii, 1920, 

 pp. 547-361, 5 plates. 



The cotton pests of North Biliar were first studied in 1906, when 

 Earias fabia, E. instilana and Platyedra gossypiella were doing so much 

 damage in the Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province. Cotton 

 plants were at that time attacked by Chrotogonus spp. (grasshoppers), 

 caterpillars of Svlepta derogata, Alcides leopard iis (shoot-weevil) and 

 Pempheres affinis (stem- weevil). Empoasca notata (leaf-hopper) also 

 caused the leaves to drop, while Dysdcrciis cingulatits (red cotton bug) 

 and Oxycareniis laetits (dusky cotton ])ug) spoiled any lint that was 

 left by the bollworms. Under these conditions the growing of cotton 

 could not be profitable, but its cultivation was continued for the 

 purpose of breeding parasites of the bollworms for distribution to other 

 districts. This cultivation has continued for about 14 years, during 

 w'liich time operations have been considerably hampered by the 

 presence of Psendococcus corymbatus, Green, P. virgatus, Ckll., Phena- 

 cocciis hirsutits, Green, Saissefia nigra, Nietn., a. Cevcopid Machaerota 

 planitiae, and Eriophyes sp. (possibly E.gossypii). The mealy-bugs are 

 particularly troublesome, probably owing to the practice of allowing 

 the cotton crop to remain on the ground throughout the year for the 

 purpose of investigation of bollworm parasites. P. corymbattis and 

 Phenacoccus hirsutus are the worst ; both appear at the same time 

 on the top shoots, together with P. virgatus. A key is given to dis- 

 tinguish these three scales, and their habits are discussed. The effect 

 of their attacks is to render the top shoots hard and compact, con- 

 siderably retarding the growth of the plant. Three species of Chalcids 

 attack them, and larvae of Scymnus nubilans and a Cecidom\'id, 

 Diadiplosis indica, are predaceous on them. The caterpillars of 

 Eublemma quadrilineata have also been observed to clear whole 

 colonies of mealy-bugs from the shoots, but their appearance is very 

 spasmodic and they cannot be relied upon. It is possible that numbers 

 of the Drosophilid, Gitonides perspicax, Knab, and also Anthocorid 

 nymphs may be predaceous on tlv^m. 



Machaerota planitiae is particularly bad from April to December, 

 the nymph exuding a clear liquid until it is surrounded by a froth 

 which coagulates, forming a tube in which it remains until the adult 

 emerges. No parasites or predators of the eggs, nymphs or adults 

 have been found. In 1912 the life-cycle was found to last 40 to 41 days. 

 The mite, Eriophyes sp., considerably retards growth when the attack 

 is severe, and occasionally has been responsible for the loss of 50 per 

 cent, of the crop. 



Shroff (K. D). List of the Pests of Fibre-yielding Plants in Burma. — 



Kept. Proc. 3rd Enimn. Meeting, Pnsa, lu-f)rii(irv 1919, Calcutta, 

 ii, 1920, pp. 562-563. 



This list enumerates the pests of cotton, hemp and jute in Burma, 

 and gives details of the part of the plant attacked and the economic 

 importance of each species. 



MiSRA (C. S.). Index to Indian Fruit Pests. — Repi. Proc. 3rd Entom. 

 Meeting, Pusa. I-ehruary, 1919, Calcutta, ii, 1920, pp. 564-595. 



The purpose of this paper is indicated by its title. Brief notes are 

 given on the distribution of each species and the nature of the damage 

 caused to the crops, which are dealt with in alphabetical order. 



