3i6 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XXII 



rocks on the shore as to form a regular scum upon them, just as 

 Anurida maritima does on the EngHsh coasts. Others are abun- 

 dant in dead wood. "Fish Insects" (Th3'sanura) of at least two 

 species are found in the bungalow, but have probably been in- 

 troduced. Representatives of this group are not very common in 

 the jungle except in ants' and termites' nests. 



Neuropteroid Insects. — Under this convenient title I pro- 

 pose to deal with the various groups other than dragonflies and 

 termites at one time included in the order Neuroptera. They 

 are not well represented on Barkuda except perhaps by the 

 Ant-lions. In the drier parts of the island the soil is often pitted 

 with the excavations of the larvae of the smaller species of this 

 family and adults of two of the larger and more conspicuous 

 kinds (Pal pares pardits and Acanthoclisis honidiis), which prob- 

 ably have different larval habits, are taken occasionally. The 

 Hemerobiidae are represented by a species of Sisyra thi- larva of 

 which is parasitic in the sponge Spongilla alba in the pond. 



Odonata. — Most of the dragonflies found on the island are 

 common and widely distributed species, but Major Fraser has 

 recently described a new Agrionid (Ennallagma insula) ' from Bar- 

 kuda. The three most abundant species are Pantala flavescens, 

 clouds of which hover in the air in the rainj- season, Diplacodes 

 irivialis, which flies close to the ground throughout the year, and 

 Pseiidagrion microcephalmn, which breeds in large numbers in the 

 lake. 



IsoPTERA. — Termites are abundant, the commonest species 

 being Termes [Odontotermes] obesus. Several species find their food 

 in the dead trunks of Ficus bengaleiisis; of which there are many 

 on some parts of the island, but it is curious that no species of 

 Kalotermes has been found in this situation. A Capriterines occurs 

 under bricks and stones. Some large termite-mounds have been 

 observed, but they are not very numerous, the only mound-building 

 species being T. obesus. The distribution of the various species on 

 the island seems to be largely dependent on the nature of the soil 

 in different areas. The fungi cultivated by certain forms are being 

 studied by Prof. Bose of the Carmichael Medical College, Calcutta, 

 while Prof. Silvestri of Portici promises a report on both the 

 termites themselves and the other arthropods found with them. 



Orthoptera. — The Orthoptera are fairlj' well represented, the 

 most abundant of the families (or superfamilies) being the Acri- 

 diidae and the Gryllidae. Among the former it is noteworthy 

 that only one wingless form (a species of Clirotogomis) has been ob- 

 tained. Among the crickets at least three mj'rmecophilous species 

 have been taken, each inhabiting the nest of a different genus of 

 ant. Tridactylinae are abundant in damp places. Cockroaches 

 and earwigs are relatively scarce so far as species are concerned 

 but individuals are sometimes common. Stick-insects have not 



Rec. hid. Mm. XIX. jip. ,V-33 (i()2ij). 



