No. 1. ] 



Miscelliineous Notes. 



29 



plants that were forwarded to the Indian Museuna were covered with 

 what appeared to be a black felted fungoid growth j but the specimens 

 were so old and dry that very little could be made of them. No insects 

 were found^ but the fungoid growth may possibly have followed the 

 attack of plant lice on the rice plants. 



Lasioderma testaceum. 



The beetle, Lasioderma testaceum, noticed in Part I of these Notes as 

 attacking cheroots, ricC; and the leaf cover- 

 ings of opium balls, has recently been reared 

 in the Indian Museum 

 from pieces of saffron 

 which were found to be 

 tunneled by its larvse. 

 The larvse are the little 

 wliite iirubs depicted in 

 the figure; they tunnel 

 into various substances. 

 The external hole, which 

 is usually the first 

 intimation which is 

 noticed of their ravages, 

 is cut by the beetle 

 when it emerges. (The 

 figures show the grub and 

 beetle enlarged, also still 

 further enlarged drawings 

 of the legs and antenna of 

 the beetle). 



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