114 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. III. 



Defoliation of orange and lemon trees in Dehra by the caterpillar 



, „ ,. of the butterfly Papilio polytes was reported 



Orange tree defoliator. _, « , , . , , 



from the forest School in October 1892, and is 



worthy of record as confirming the observation that the injury to these 

 plants is not confined to the one species PajiHio erithonius, Cram. The 

 identity of the species was ascertained by comparison with a carefully- 

 named series of Indian butterflies presented some years back to the 

 Forest School by the Trustees of the Indian Museum. 



Specimens of a large wood-boring insect, which has heen identified 

 Longicom -borers in the P«n- as tne Cerambycid Neoceratnbyx. holosericeus, 

 J a °- Fabr., were forwarded in December 1892 by 



the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Punjab. They were 

 procured by the Deputy Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan in Novem- 

 ber 1892. According to the account furnished, the insect is to be found 

 in trees growing in dry places and specially in the " Karashl 1 )" but also 

 in the u Sarin ( 2 )" and " Kikar( 3 )." It is known as Bain in Hindi and 

 Raniah in Pushtu. It generally attacks ihe trunk near to the ground, but 

 the branches also suffer occasionally. The affected portion of the tree 

 can usually be recognized by a swelling in the bark. 



The species has previously been sent to the Museum as associated with 

 other Cerambycidse in attacking young teak trees in the Kulsi plantation 

 of Assam, so is likely to frequent many kinds of wood. 



A longicorn-borer, received from the Conservator of Forest, Berar, was 

 forwarded to the Indian Museum in July 1892 

 by the Director of the Imperial Forest School, 

 with the information that it does considerable damage to babul {Acacia 

 arahica) plants. The larva is sail to enter the stem some three or four 

 inches above the ground, and to tunnel through the root to such an extent 

 as eventually to cause death. The species is new to the Museum collec- 

 tion of Ceramhycidae ; it would seem to be nearly related to the genus 

 Ccelosterna } hub has been sent to Europe for further examination.^) 



Q)\Tamarix articulata? 



( 2 ) Botanical name not ascertained. 



( s ) Acacia arahica. 



( 4 ) It has been kindly examined by Mr. C. J. Gahan of the British museum, who identi- 

 fies it as rather a small male example of the species Celosterna (sic) spinator, Fabr. Mr. 

 Qiiban notices that this species should be placed as a variety of O. scabrator, Fabr., which 

 only differs in having the pubescence of the elytra more tawny or brownish in colour. 



