No. 6. ] -4 Conspectus of Insects. 161 



128. Agkotis SEGETUM Scliiff. (Noetuidse). — A smooth earth-coloured 

 caterpillar, which does a good deal of damage in coffee estates in South- 

 ern India and Ceylon by biting off the young coffee [Coffea arahiea) 

 plants close to the ground. It is known by coffee-planters as the ringer. 

 In India it is believed to be confined to comparatively high elevations, 

 such as the Himalayas and the Nilgiris. It is well known in Europe as 

 a destructive Cut worm to many crops. 



129. Ageotis stjbfdsa Fabr. (Noctuidse). — The caterpillar of this 

 cosmopolitan moth does a great deal of damage in India by biting off 

 young plants of all kinds close to the ground. It has been reported as 

 follows: — (1) attacking young opium [Papaver somniferum) plants: in 

 this connection it is said to ;be known in Ghazipur as keromia, in 

 Fatebo-arh as stiree, and in Bebar as Jcumwah ; (2) attacking young tea 

 {Camellia t/ieifern) plants in Ceylon; (3) attacking potato {Sotunum 

 tuberosum) plants in Kurseong ; (4) attacking such rabi crops as mustard 

 {Brassica) and linseed [Linum udtatissimum) in Jessore ; (5) attacking 

 young plants of wheat {Triticum sativum) , barley [Hordeum vulgare), 

 gram [cicer arietinum) , oats [Avena sativa), and peas (Pisitm sativum), in 

 Murshidabad and Tipperah ; (6) attacking the leguminous plant 

 Lathp-us sativus in Patna. When full grown, the caterpillars are 

 smooth earth-coloured grubs, about a couple of inches in length and as 

 thick as lead pencils ; they are to be found in holes in .the fields they 

 frequent. 



130. Ochropleura flammatra Linn. (Noctuidae). — The caterpillars 

 of tliis moth are much like those oi Agrotis suffusa; they have been 

 reported as attacking opium {Papaver sornniferum) plants in the same 

 manner, 



131. Phtsia nigrisigna 7 Walker (Plusiidse). — Said to attack the gram 



plant (Cicer arietinum) in Patna. 



132. Undetermined Noctues scaterpillars have been reported as fol- 

 lows : — (1) boring into the seeds of the Tur plant [Cajanus indicus) in 

 Nagpur ; (2) doing much'damage to rabi crops in Orissa, where they are 

 \noviD s>s hala mundi ; injurious to crops in Tipperah (Bengal), where 

 they are known as leda poha ; (4) attacking red gram and country 

 beans (Leguminosffi) in Ganjam, where they are known as kandula 

 purugxi ox penki purugu: (5) attacking paddy {Oryza sativa) in South 

 Arcot; (6) attacking such rabi crops as mustard {Brassica), barley 

 {Hordeum vulgare), safflower {Carlhamus tinctorius), and wheat {Triticum 

 sativum) in Budaon ; (7) cutting off potato plants in Kajshahye; (8) 

 defoliating teak {Tcctona' grandis) trees in Midnapore ; (9) injuring jute 

 [Corc/iorus) plants in Maldah, 



