14 
by Keuchenius in regard to G. depressum which has ha- 
bits almost identical with those of G. hofmannseggi and 
has the same life history. In Java the rainfall has a dis- 
tribution over the year almost the reverse of that in My- 
sore. The rainy months commence from November and 
end in May the driest months being from June to Octo- 
ber. With this reversal of conditions the life history of 
G. depressum has also changed, for in Java this species lays 
its eggs in June and the first pupa is not observed in the 
field until November, when the wet weather commences. 
The period of inactivity is from December to June instead 
from June to December asin Mysore. 
We are now in a position to discuss the status of G. 
hofmannseggi as a pest in Mysore. ‘Though the species 
is found practically all over Mysore, so far damage by it 
to crops has been reported only from three localities where 
the rainfall, in the quarter April to June is notoriously 
deficient, irregular and uncertain. It often happens that 
sufficient rains are received to plough and in some parts 
to sow as well but are not followed by further showers so 
that the larve are without the requisite amount of mois- 
ture to pupate. The tillage operations which involve the 
removal of the roots of weeds, etc., deprive the larve 
of their food and compel them to concentrate on the few 
fields which have been sown early and where the seedlings 
have come up. Irrigated ragi is not attacked because at 
the time of transplantation sufficient rains will have been 
received for the larve to pupate and in the nursery the 
soil is too wet to attract the larve which have moreover 
the young seedlings in fields themselves to feed on. In 
the case of Potato which is usually grown in the early 
part of the year, the attack is usually from the beetles ra- 
ther than from the larve. The crop is in the field at a 
time when the beetles become active and begin to breed, 
and in all probability they are attracted to it and lay their 
egos there. Only in one instance has damage been re- 
ported as late as August. In this locality the rain fall 
averages only about twenty-two inches and the rainiest 
months are May and October. It is probable that 
here there may have been a second generation. When the 
crops were inspected in August, full grown larve were 
found concentrated along the rows of ragi seedlings. ‘They 
were near pupation. Possibly therefore with the 732 
inches received in May, the first generation pupated and 
emerged and since for the three months following there 
