1889.] | Rhynchites betuleti and Chaetocnema basalis. 339 
mological Society of London, 1877, p. 310. The genus Chae- 
tocnema was established by Stephens, and covers almost the same 
ground as the genus Plectroscelis of Chevrolat. 
Mr Blandford has kindly forwarded me a description of the 
beetle, which I quote with his permission. 
“Chaetocnema basalis (fig. 3). Short, oval, deep-black with 
faint greenish reflection, antennae and legs yellow, the last seven 
joints of the former, and the base of the anterior femora, and 
of the last pair pitchy, underside black. Insect winged, thorax 
and.elytra highly polished, the former with a row of punctures at 
the base, the latter with regular rows of punctures. 
Length 2 line, hab, Burma. 
Head sunk in thorax, eyes rather prominent, a deep sulcus 
along the inner margin of each eye, these being connected in front 
(fig. 8a). The vertex of the head is very finely wrinkled and im- 
punctate, clypeus with shallow punctures. 
Thorax much broader than long, convex, with a marginal 
border all round, very slight along the anterior margin, deep 
along base which is sinuate. The anterior angles are rounded, 
the posterior obtuse. Disc very finely and scantily punctured, 
with a row of close, deep punctures along base. 
Elytra short and convex, the shoulders prominent and 
rounded, a narrow border along suture. On the disc are eleven 
rows of deep punctures—counting the row along the side margin 
—the first row contains about ten punctures and does not reach 
to the middle of the elytra, it and the second row are turned 
slightly outwards at their base; the fourth and eighth rows meet 
towards the apex of the elytra, which are jointly rounded, the 
outer rows are obliterated on the humeral prominence, which has 
some fine irregular punctuation. The interstices have a row of 
very fine punctures, which are occasionally double. 
Scutellum, small, rounded at apex, and indistinctly wrinkled. 
Antennae, first two joints stout, second shorter than the first, 
next four much more slender and elongate, remaining joints 
oblong conical, the last pointed. 
Tibiae, posterior pair with an obtuse spine on outer side of 
shaft near apex, between which and spine is a row of bristles” 
(fig. 3D). 
This beetle has recently been doing serious damage to the 
paddy or young rice plantations in Taungyas of the northern 
part of the Tharrawaddy district. It appeared last year in June, 
when the young paddy is about 6 ins. high, and according to 
the Karens, who inhabit this hilly region, it eats first the leaf 
and then works down through the heart of the plant to the root. 
The Karens state that the insect appeared some years ago, but 
25—2 
