38 THE AGRICULTURAL PESTS OF INDIA. 



large quantities at certain seasons all over Southern India, 

 M. cichorii and M. pustulata are used by the Chinese. 



Meloe is a name given to a genus of insects allied to 

 Mylabris and Cantharis ; they are remarkable for the 

 shortness of the elytra and the absence of wings. When 

 the larvae are born they attach themselves to hymenoptera r 

 which are searching for food ; by this means they are 

 transported to the nests of the bees, where they continue 

 to live and complete their development. When a meloe 

 is irritated or attempted to be captured, it discharges from 

 the joints of the legs a viscid acrid liquid, of a yellow 

 colour, and having the odour of amber or of violets. 



' The vesicating insects possess a singular softness 

 of the elytra and the integument, differing from that 

 of other insect tribes. The explanation of this fact is 

 found in the histological, and not on the chemical, 

 characters of the wing, as was at one time supposed. 

 Between the two layers, which are connected at their 

 edges by chitin, there is a considerable space, and the 

 two layers are connected by chitinous pillars, which, 

 although thin and delicate, form substantial supports. In 

 most other insects the chitinous layers are much thicker, 

 the pillars more numerous, and the spaces are almost 

 obliterated. The peculiarities noted have, it is believed, 

 much to do with the irritating nature produced by minute 

 particles of wings when applied to the skin of human 

 beings.' 



Capnodium mangiferum inflicts injury on the trees it 

 inhabits similar to that of the coffee-rot. It obstructs 

 the stomata of the leaf to which it adheres. The Arto- 

 carpus integrifolia, Ficus asperrimum, Mangifera Indica, 

 Sponia Wightii, are their favourite trees. 



Carthamus linctorius, Linn., plants are reported to 



