6_' 4 



FAMILY PLATYPODIDAE 



issue, but in no case did I find any of the beetles tunnelling into this tree 

 for ovipositing purposes, the wood now being too dry. The beetle evidently 

 only tunnels into the fresh sappy wood of newly felled trees or into standing 

 sickly ones. The female beetle bores her egg-tunnel right into the heart- 

 wood and lays her eggs in a manner similar to the platypus of the Adina. 

 The insect had infested the tree in considerable numbers in the thicker part 



of the trunk. 



It is probable that there are at least two generations of the insect in 



the year. 



Hectarthrum heros, Fabr. (p. n6).--This cucujid was found in the tree 

 infested by this platypid in some numbers, and was engaged in preying 

 upon the Platypus beetle. Tachyta nietneri (p. 96) was also present. 



Trachypholis hispida, Weber (p. 113). This beetle was taken in com- 

 pany with the platypus. 



Platypus solidus, Walk. 



REFERENCES. Walker, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ii, 3 rd ser. p. 286; Chapuis, Mongr. Platy. 267 (1866). 



Habitat. Lower Burma. Also reported from Ceylon, 

 Malacca, etc. 



Tree Attacked. Anogeissus latifolia. Tharrawaddy. 



Beetle. Elongate, the elytra sharply constricting to apex in upper 

 third. Moderately shining. Dark ferruginous brown, apical half 



almost black, antennae and legs paler. Head 

 Description. slightly concave on front, latter rugose, punc- 



tate anteriorly, reticulate behind. Prothorax 



with a median furrow, punctate, the punctures stronger behind and on 

 each side of the median furrow. Elytra striate-punctate, the striae 

 and punctures very fine on basal part, becoming stronger and denser 

 in apical portion, the inner striae most pronounced, the punctures 

 close ; declivity smooth and shining, with deep striae ; the apex of 

 each elytron produced into a blunt point ; abdominal segments finely FIG. 394. 



punctate and granulose. Posterior femora with a very sharp tooth. Platypus solidus, 

 Length, 3.8 mm. to 4 mm. Walk - Lower Burma. 



A specimen of this insect was taken from a tunnel bored vertically down 

 through the bark into the heart-wood of a large felled Anogeissus tree in a 

 1904 tounggya teak plantation in Tharrawaddy. The insect was evidently 

 engaged in ovipositing. It was taken on 22 January 1905. 



The insect is very variable, and Chapuis distinguishes three varieties 

 from Malacca and elsewhere in the Indian Archipelago. 



Platypus curtus, Chap. 



REFERENCES. Chapuis, Mongr. Plnty. p. 261 (1866) ; Stebbing (Platypus sp.), Assam Sal Ins. For. 



Bull. no. ii, p. 46 (1907). 



Habitat. Assam. Also reported from Singapore and Sarawak (Coll. 

 Wallace). 



Tree Attacked. Sal (Shorca robusta). Goalpara. 



