126 



stage, in the Chrysomelid, Oides bipundata, in the egg, and in the 

 Noctuid, Pohjtela gloriosae, in the pupal stage. The Trypetid, Dams 

 (Bactrocera) cucurbitae (fruit-fly) is capable of living in confinement 

 in the adult state for more than three months, and it seems probable 

 that many fruit-flies live from season to season in this state. The 

 stems and galls on the stems of Cucurbitaceous plants were found to be 

 just as suitable as the fruit as breeding-places for the flies. 



Complete life-cycles were observed of Danais plexippiis, on Oscys- 

 telona escidentimi, a new food-plant ; the Jassid, Kolla mimica, on 

 rice, other Jassids on sugar-cane and Cyperus rotunda ; Polia con- 

 sanguis ; a Halticid beetle on Anisomeles ovata ; and Cyrfacanthacris 

 ranacea. Observations were made on the habits of many other species, 

 and special attention was paid to leaf-mining Lepidoptera, of which 

 many hitherto undescribed species were bred from crops and plants. 

 Attempts to breed Nephofeitix bipunctatus, Zonabris jmstidata, Lytta 

 actaeon and Heliocopris bucephalus were unsuccessful. 



Fruit-flies were reared in large numbers to ascertain the proportion 

 parasitised, but the only species that was attacked to any extent 

 was Carpomyia vesuviana, the larvae of which live in fruits of Zizyphus 

 jujuba. An endeavour was made to introduce the parasite into Italy, 

 but owing to postal delays, this was found to be impossible. Experi- 

 ments with insecticides proved that a spray of gur and lead arsenate 

 killed fruit-flies in about 36 hours. 



Pests of stored products were investigated, and the lime treatment of 

 rice proved most satisfactory on a small scale ; further tests on a larger 

 scale will now be made with this and other stored grain. 



Galleria 7neUonella (wax-moth) gained entrance to the bee-hives at 

 an unexpected period (December) and destroyed some colonies of 

 Apis indica, which were being studied with a view to checking swarming 

 and increasing the yield of honey. No further experiments have been 

 made with European bees o\\ing to the danger of introducing Isle-of- 

 Wight disease into India. 



Experiments were carried out with Tricolyga sorbilkms, Wied., the 

 Tachinid parasite of silkworms, the following caterpillars being exposed 

 to the attacks of this fly : — Bombyx mori (mulberry silkworm), Alfacus 

 ricini (Eri silkworm), Achaea Janata, Spodoptera mauritia, Poly tela 

 gloriosae, Anomis (Cosmophila) sabidifera, Pajnlio demoleus, Utetheisa 

 pulcJiella and Diacrisia obliqua. The flies were found to oviposit on 

 all varieties of caterpillars, both hairy and smooth, but could not breed 

 in them so successfully as in silkworms. 



Baknes (J. H.) & Gro\t: (A. J.). The Insects attacking Stored Wheat 

 in the Punjab, and the Methods of combating them, including a 

 Chapter on the Chemistry of Respiration. — Memoirs of the Dept. 

 Agric. in India, Calcutta, iv, no. 6, November 1916, pp. 165-280, 

 5 plates, 12 figs. 



The following are recorded as damaging wheat in the Punjab :— 

 Coleoptera : the Cucujid, Laemophloeus sp. ; the Dermestid, Attage- 

 nus undulatus, Motch.* ; the Bostrychid, Rhizopertha dominica, I'. ; 



* Mr. G. J. Arrow informs us that this species has been incorrectly 

 identified. The insect is a Trogodenna and has generally been referred to 

 T. versicolor, Kreutzer, but Mr. Arrow considers that it will probably 

 prove to be an undescribed species. — ^Ed. 



