LOCUSTS OF BENGAL, MADRAS, ASSAM, & BOMBAY. 195 
specimens of T’rywalis turrita, Linn., (3) one specimen of Oxya velox, Burm., 
(4) one specimen of a species which is probably Epacromia dorsalis, Thumb, , 
(5) one larvee of a grass-hopper probably belonging to the genus Qidalus, Of 
these the immature specimens are probably the “small brown and green 
grass-hoppers,” alluded to by the Collector as present in myriads, while the 
full-grown specimens of Pachytylus cinerascens are likely to have been the 
“locusts” mentioned as present in comparatively small numbers, Now, 
Pachytylus cinerascens is one of the chief migratory locusts of Europe, where 
it sometimes does a great deal of damage. The insect is essentially an 
inhabitant of the temperate zone, and this would make it appear probable 
that its permanent breeding-ground lies somewhere in the Nilgiri or other 
hills, whence it might easily be carried upon the south-west monsoon across 
the Presidency. The presence of nearly full-grown larve shows that the 
original flight must have remained in the district sufficiently long to have 
laid their eggs, and for the eggs to have hatched, and for the larve to have 
passed through most of the early stages, a process which probably occupied 
some months, In the Palearctic zone P. cinerascens ig said to lay its eggs in 
the autumn, the young hatching out in the following summer, but we are ag 
yet entirely in the dark as to the habits which the insect acquires when it 
passes out of a temperate climate into a tropical one. 
Locusts 1n Assam, 
Assam is not generally troubled by locusts, though in the cold weather of 
1890-81 a stray flight of Acridium peregrinum from North-Western India 
penetrated into it, In 1879 also both the autumn and winter crops in Now- 
gong were reported by the Director of Agriculture to have been largely 
destroyed by locusts, which were said to have come from the tall grass jungle 
at the base of the Khasi and Mikir Hills, where they breed permanently. 
Nothing is known of the identity of this locust, though it may possibly have 
been the insect Phymateus miliaris, which was sent to the Indian Museum in 
September, 1890, by General Collett, with the information that it was common 
in the neighbourhood of Shillong. The following is taken from a report, 
dated 15th February, 1883, by the Director of Agricultural in Assam :-— 
“TI spent three weeks marching in the N owgong District, and visited most of the 
district, except the hill tracts, The Kakotiphoring, or Paper grass-hopper, as the 
locust is called, is very well known. It is said to attain a length of six to seven inches, 
It breeds in the tall reed and grass jungle, especially in the jungle at tle foot of the 
hills along the south of the district (the Khasia and Mikir Hills). Theitime of the 
appearance of the insect is in the early spring, and it continues to feed till July. 
“Local visitations of locusts are common enough, I found it generally stated that 
they took place every two or three years, But one general invasion was well remem- 
bered everywhere; the date was 1879 : it began early and ended late, soas to include 
both mustard and rice in the area of devastation. The mustard ripens in January. 
“The direction in which the locust swarms moved was somewhat different in 
