TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 711 



The reproductive bands join each other in the middle of the disc, which 

 presents no trace of a mouth or of a manubrium, and in this respect it diifers from 

 any ordinary form. 



It is premature to speak decisively as to the precise nature of the form, which 

 has certain resemblances to an abnormal example of Forbes's Thaumantias melanops, 

 from Shetland. The latter, however, was only half an inch in diameter, and had 

 the usual manubrium. 



8. Note on Helopeltis Antonii, Sign., in Ceylon. 

 By Henry Teimen, M.B., F.L.S. 



I have brought for exhibition some specimens of this species of plant-bug, in 

 consequence of its having attracted a good deal of attention in the East, as a pest 

 of tropical agriculture, and also because there has been some confusion as to its 

 identification. 



Two or three years ago some of the growers of cacao {Theobroma Cacao) in 

 Ceylon became alarmed at the prevalence of a ' disease ' in their trees affecting 

 especially the young twigs and young fruits ; the former were spotted, then began 

 to shrivel, and finally died off, and the latter became black and dry, and failed to 

 arrive at maturity. 



At the request of the Government of the Colony I made an investigation of, 

 and reported upon, this state of things, and satisfied myself that the main cause of 

 the damage to the trees was due to the effects of the punctures and suction of the 

 juices effected by the insect now shown. As I am, however, not enough of an 

 entomologist to be acquainted with the insects of Ceylon specifically, I should have 

 been unable to determine the present one further than to refer it to its group, had I 

 not possessed specimens from Java of the bug there identified as Helopeltis Antonii, 

 with which our insect apparently agreed. In Java this insect has been very 

 destructive to the cinchona plantations, affecting the young shoots of the trees in a 

 very similar way to that noticed in cacao in Ceylon ; and it was always a matter 

 of surprise to me that our cinchona was not attacked also. 



Since my A'isit to England I have had the advantage of submitting specimens 

 of the Ceylon insect to Mr. Waterhouse, of the British Museum. The collection 

 there, though it possessed specimens of the Java Helopeltis, had not any from 

 Ceylon ; and the result of comparison has convinced Mr. Waterhouse that the two 

 are not identical. The Ceylon insect agrees completely with Signoret's original 

 description of H. Antonii, which was made (in 1858) from Ceylon specimens ; 

 whilst the Java insect, which has hitherto passed under the same name, differs in 

 several particulars, and is, perhaps, undescribed.' 



There remains another closely-allied Helopeltis which is most destructive to the 

 tea-plantations in Assam, where it is known under the name of ' Mosquito-blight.' 

 This has been named H. theivorn, and has recently formed the subject of an illus- 

 trated memoir by Mr. Wood-Mason, of Calcutta. I had hitherto supposed that 

 this also was identical with the H. Antonii of Ceylon, but the tea-plants there have 

 scarcely been touched (if at all) by that insect, and in view of the above facts 

 with regard to the Java Helopeltis, it is quite possible that the Assam one may 

 also be a distinct species and restricted to different plants. 



It is remarkable that species of one genus of Heteropterous insects should be 

 serious pests to three of the most important products of planters in the East. 



9. On Marsupial Bones. By Professor Thompson. 



10. On the Sense of Smell. By Professor Hatcraft. 



11. On Young God, Sfc. 

 By Professor McIntosh, M.B., LL.D., F.B.S. 



' This has, since the above note was read, been figured and described by Mr, 

 Waterhouse as H. Bradyi {Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1886, p. 458). 



