PEOCEEDINGS OF THE THIED ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



693 



4. Gelasimus acutus, Stimpson. 



(Vernacular names Phongyi ganan ; shwe-ganan ; Ganan-ni.) 



This crab is of a bright reddish orange colour, hence it is called 

 Phongyi ganan, (monk-crab) from the reddish orange colour of the ^ 

 Buddhist' monk's robe. It is also known as Shwe-ganan (golden-coloured 

 crab) and Ganan-ni (red crab). 



It is said to cause no damage to paddy but to feed on mud. It 

 makes nearly perpendicular burrows in the soil on the high ^yet banks 

 of rivers, creeks and streams. 



At the Second Entomological Meeting, which was held ui February 

 1917, I read only a few extracts, describing the habits of the Varuna 

 litterata, from the Settlement Reports of the crab-infested districts. 

 No discussion was, in fact, then made on the measures of control and 

 the notes, which I read, being meagre, were taken back from the 

 tj-pist and are, therefore, not included in the Proceedings of the Second 

 Entomological Meeting. 



Further investigations were carried out in 1918 and the informa- 

 tion, collected at that time, is given above for discussion at the present 

 Meeting. 



The following experiments were contemplated but were rejected 

 as impracticable over extensive areas. 



1. For the 'prevention of the infestation of fields— 



(a) Prevention of the ingress of the flood water during the period 

 of the year when the young are known to come up with the 

 high tides from the sea, e.g., by hunds constructed with 

 earth and fascines along the face of the area subject to infesta- 

 tion and 



(6) cleaning the flood- water by drag-nets and dealing with the 

 young before they enter into the fields with the tidal water. 



2. For the control of the ijoung, to use— 



{a) hot water, 

 (6) tobacco water, 

 (c) unslaked lime, 

 {d) crude earth-oil, 

 (e) mahaga. 



3. For the treatment of the soil, to use a few days before sowing 

 paddy — 



(a) Mezali leaves {Cassia siamia). 

 (6) Tama leaves {Melia indica). 

 (c) Adhatoda vasica. 



