PEOCEEDI^GS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 475 



Jn all we have examined 6,060 okroe pods this year, and have found 

 319 larvae in them. From an inquiry received from America we judge 

 that Busck is willing to admit that the Pink Bollworm may feed for a 

 certain time on food other than cotton, but that such larvae will not 

 mature and emerge. Against this we can set the fact that we have 

 had 191 emergences from okroe pods this year (up to 23rd December 

 1918). 



The pods and seeds of Hibiscus cannabinus also serve as food to 

 the insect. Examination of 1,000 pods collected last October gave 

 45 larvse. That larvae feeding on this plant can develop and emerge 

 ■as moths can be seen from the fact that we have bred through 131 

 moths from cannabinus pods (23rd December 1918). (See Table V.) 



It was necessary to elaborate the possibility of other food-plants 

 than cotton being utilized on account of the attitude adopted by Busck. 

 Other recorded food-plants are hollyhock {Allhcea) on which plant 

 it has been found in Egypt by Willcocks, (and possibly in India), and 

 Abutilon sp., recorded by King in the Sudan, and Fletcher in India. 

 The fact that these two pairs of records were made in different countries 

 by different observers would seem to exclude the possibiHty of a mere 

 chance straying of a worm on to a pod of an unsuitable plant, and 

 pupating there, which is the explanation advanced by Busck to disprove 

 Tecords which he does not agree with, as for instance, the records for 

 Thespesia populnea by Fullaway. This last record has, however, not 

 yet been confirmed by observations by other workers. Hibiscus abel- 

 moschus was recorded as a host at the Second Indian Entomological 

 Meeting by Fletcher. 



We further consider it extremely probable that the Pinl^ Bollworm 

 feeds on Malva sylvestris, but the observation is not sufficiently estab- 

 lished for certainty. 



After this list one would not be surprised to obtain records from 

 other malvaceous plants. We have however searched for it in vain 

 in the pods of melochia or Jew Mallow {Corchorus olitorius). 



The record formerly given for pomegranates must be withdrawn 

 and was undoubtedly based on error. 



The eggs are minute and are laid singly, or in small groups of up to 

 ten. They are to be found on the bolls, involucres, leaves and axils 

 of leaves. The egg-stage in Egypt is known to last from 3-7 days. 

 Busck gives the period as 4-12 days. Owing to the small size of the 

 'Cggs, the insect cannot be controlled at this stage. 



The larval stage is passed, almost entirely, inside the part of the 

 plant attacked. The time required for this stage as given by Willcocks 

 is 9—19 days. Busck found 20—30 days. The feeding period is 



