NOTES. 281 
NOTES. 
-—— 
Cassia nodosa tree defoliated by caterpillars of Catopsilia 
pomona, Fabr.—-Having heard that caterpillars were devouring 
the foliage of certain trees in the Victoria Park, | decided to 
collect specimens and, if possible, to take a photograph of the 
affected tree. The ground all round the tree was one mass 
of struggling green. Perched on all the adjoining branches 
were crows (Corvus splendens) which were devouring the 
caterpillars wholesale, and except for them much damage 
would have been caused. I collected some of the caterpillars 
and bred them in captivity. They were full grown, and 
pupated in three days, the butterflies were the ordinary 
Catopsilia pomona, Fabr. The tree adjoining the one which 
was eaten was in blossom and of the same family, a few 
branches showed signs of the pest, but the gardener timely 
intercepted the spread of them. I understand that all this 
damage was caused by the caterpillars to the tree in two days. 
Colombo, May, 1916. C. C. SOLOMONS 

A similar incident to the one described by Mr. Solomons 
took place at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya this 
year. The same thing has happened for several years in 
succession, I understand, on practically the same date. 
Unfortunately, when my attention was drawn to the outbreak, 
the caterpillars were so well grown that nothing could be done 
to save the trees. Thousands of the caterpillars were 
ascending and descending the trunks and crawling about the 
grass and neighbouring bushes. No birds were observed to 
be eating them this year, but in the 1914 outbreak king crows 
(Dicrurus leucopygialis, Blyth) were seen feeding on the 
caterpillars both on the ground and on the trees, and crows 
fed eagerly on the pupz, doing, in fact, some damage to the 
trees by breaking small branches, &c., to get at them. 
