400 



FAMILY CURCULIONIDAE 



defoliation committed by these three insects in years of bad infestation 

 keeps the trees leafless for the greater part of the year, retarding the 

 growth of young plants and poles, and reducing the increment put on 

 by older trees. The area, I was informed, is managed under a working 

 plan for the supply of sleepers to the railway running through the forest to 

 Calicut, and of firewood and small material to Coimbatore. The growth of 

 the trees is poor for the most part, and the natural regeneration is scant}'. 

 Efforts should be made to deal with the defoliating pests. 



Myllocerus lineatocollis, Boh. 

 (The Scmul Defoliator.} 



Habitat. Goalpara, Assam. Also reported from the Nilgiris (Hampson). 

 Tree Attacked. Semul (Bombax nialabaricmn}. Goalpara. 



Beetle. Very small and slender. Bright green or golden green 

 with a golden iridescence ; antennae and legs orange or yellowish 



brown. Rostrum moderately long, truncate 



Description. at top, with antennae inserted at tip, the 



black eyes placed behind the middle of 



rostrum ; a slight median longitudinal impressed line on upper 

 half, the rest of surface finely rugose. Prothorax slightly wider 

 in front than behind, anterior margin curved outwards, sides con- 

 stricted slightly medianly ; disk finely rugose, with a median longi- 

 tudinal dark brown stripe starting from anterior margin and not 

 quite reaching the posterior one. Elytra finely striate-punctate, 



base straight, sides straight to posterior coxae, thence constricted to Mvllocerus lineatocollis 

 apices. Under-surface golden green, finely punctate. Length, Boh. The semul 



4.5 mm. to 5.5 mm. defoliator. Assam. 



FlG. 270. 



During a period of seven years spent in charge of the Goalpara Forest 

 Division, Mr. W. F. Perree noticed that the semul-trees 



Life History. were often heavily defoliated during the hot weather 

 (May and June). His observations tended to show that 

 the trees suffered either partial or total defoliation during the year. He 

 considered that to some extent at least the poor growth of the semul in parts 

 was attributable to this little beetle defoliator, which in some years appeared 

 in incredible numbers. 



In May 1906 I had an opportunity of studying this attack with 

 Mr. Perree at Kachugaon on the Sunkos River and elsewhere in Goalpara. 

 During the second week of May the beetles were found abundantly pairing on 

 the trees, the female being larger than the male. 



The beetle's attack is confined to the foliage. In defoliating the leaf 

 the Myllocerus either attacks it at the edges or eats out holes from the 

 centre of the leaflets. The major portion of the leaflet is often consumed, 

 the remainder withering and dropping to the ground. 



