264 FAMILY CHRYSOMELIDAE 



and it is probable, as noted by Mr. Rogers, that the thick orange liquid 

 which they have the power of emitting from their heads has some distasteful 

 quality in its composition. 



These leaf-feeding beetles are best attacked by one of the arsenical 

 solutions sprayed over the plants to be protected, and 



Protection and his ing should be done either in the very early 



Remedies. J . _ ... 



morning or late in the evening. The beetles feeding 



upon the leaves take the poison internally, and are thus killed off. 



More facts about the life history, such as where the eggs are laid, where 

 the larvae feed, etc., are required to be known before one can state definitely 

 how such pests can be best attacked. 



MELASOMA. 

 Melasoma sp. prox. populi, Linn. 



REFERENCES. Ind. Mus. Notes, iii, no. 5, p. 43 ; Rogers, Ind. For. vol. xxii, 429. 



Habitat. North-West Himalaya. 



Tree Attacked. Willow (Salix elegans). Deoban, Jaunsar (C. G. Rogers). 



Beetle. I have not seen this beetle. 



Larva. Head black, body yellowish white, with black markings ; the dorsal surface 

 furnished with numerous paired glands. Length, o. loin, to 0.51 in. (C. G. Rogers.) 



Pupa. The pupa has not the same general markings as the larva. It remains partially 

 enclosed within the larval skin. It is suspended from the under-surface of the leaves and 

 branches of the tree. (C. G. Rogers.) 



The damage done by this insect to willow in the Western Himalaya 

 was first reported by Mr. C. G. Rogers. The 



Life History. following details on the life history are from a 

 note drawn up by him and published in the Indian 

 Forester: "The larvae were first noticed on 9 June 1893 in Deoban, 

 elevation 9,000 ft. From the paired glands on the back of the larvae 

 little transparent globules of strong pungent-smelling fluid exuded when 

 the insect was touched. After a while the globules were drawn in again 

 into the glands, but could be again extruded two or three times before 

 the insect became exhausted. The odour, w r hich is compared to prussic 

 acid, scented the whole bush where they were feeding, and was a very 

 characteristic feature of the insect. Larvae which were kept in captivity 

 moulted once before pupating. Pupae were found between 14 and 21 June. 

 On the plant the larva suspends itself from a twig or under-side of a leaf 

 before pupating. Beetles began to emerge on 22 June, and continued to 

 appear in the rearing-box till 27 June. They afterwards lived for about 

 a week in confinement, but as in this period they were carried down to 

 Dehra Dun (elevation 2,100 ft.), their ordinary period of existence in this 

 stage is likely to be much longer." 



