FAMILY CERAMBYCIDAE 



291 



I have also taken this beetle on the wing in Mussoorie, but in spite of 

 its wide distribution, as shown by Gahan, nothing appears to be known 

 about its habits in the Himalaya. It undoubtedly lives on a variety of 

 different trees. 



In Assam this longicorn lays its eggs in the semul (Bombax malabari- 

 cuni). A log of this wood was sent to Mr. A. J. Gibson, Imperial Forest 

 Economist, in 1908, and from it he bred out specimens of the beetle. 

 The larvae lived in this wood in a similar manner to those infesting the 

 pyinkadu. Beetles issued from the semul in Dehra Dun in the middle of 

 August. It is probable that they issue at an earlier date from this tree in 

 Assam, and not improbable that the insect passes through two generations 

 in the year in that province. 



I saw the attacks of this species in Albizzia lebbek trees in Egypt 

 during a tour I made in a part of the country in 1907. It was reported in this 

 connection by Mr. Willcocks, who stated that it committed very serious 

 damage. 



STROMATIUM. 



The genus is by no means such an important one as was supposed. 

 Gahan, in his Fauna volume, reduces the known Indian species to two in 



number. 



Stromatium barbatum, Fabr. 



REFERENCES. Fabr. (Callidium), Syst. Ent. p. 189 (1775) ; Oliv. Entom. iv, no. 70, p. 10, pi. 4, fig. 41 

 (1795); Callidium fenesum, Boisd. Voy. d' Astrolabe, ii, p. 481 (1835); ^"^- A/MS. Notes, vol. i, p. 59 ; 

 ii, p. ii ; Stebbing, Depart. Notes, vol. i, p. 182 (1902) ; Gahan, F.B.I. Ceramb. vol. i, no. 108, p. 114 

 (1906). 



Habitat. Assam; North-West India; Central Provinces; Ravi Valley, 

 Chamba State. Gahan, in Fauna, gives India; Ceylon; Burma; 

 Andamans ; Mauritius; Bourbon; Madagascar. 



Trees Attacked. Teak?: Assam; Acacia catechu: Dehra Dun; Sissu : 

 United Provinces Terai ; Dendrocalamus strictus : Raipur, Central Pro- 

 vinces; Mango: Pusa ? (Lefroy). 



Beetle. Varies in colour from brownish black to reddish brown, 

 faintly covered with a tawny pubescence. Head densely and rather 



coarsely punctured above and at the sides ; 



Description. as densely, but less strongly, punctured in 



front. Antennae much longer than body 



in (J, not so in $. Prothorax very densely covered with strong, 

 coarse punctures ; the disk, with rive slightly raised tubercles, less 

 distinct in the <, placed two anteriorly, one behind the middle, 

 and two near the base ; the sides broadly and obtusely protuberant 

 except near the base in the $ ; straighter, with a tomentose depres- 

 sion, in <J. Elytra coarsely and very densely punctured ; each with 

 two fairly distinct dorsal and one or two short lateral costae, the Stromatium barbatum, 

 latter sometimes obsolete; a short sutural tooth at apex. Length, Fabr. . N.\V. India. 

 1 2 mm. to 29111111. ; breadth, 4 mm. to 7 mm. (Descr. after Gahan.} Assam, Central Pro- 

 Larva. A white, thick grub, with a wide, dark brown head, vincc 



black mandibles, and a pale brown shining prothorax, larger in breadth than the rest of 

 the segments. The body segments are flatfish. Length, 25 mm. to 30 mm. 



T 2 



