92 Indian Economic Entomology. [Vol. I. 



nearly two inches in tbe largest ones. In the plate, fig. 4 c. shows the 

 calcareous pupa case, fig. 4 a. the female beetle, and fig. 4 b. the 

 head and antennae of the male to indicate the relative size of these 

 organs in the two sexes. The figures are all natural size, and are given, 

 though no definite information has yet been received of the extent of 

 the injury that the insect does by boring into timber, the fact being 

 that it is representative of a group of insects of which very little has yet 

 been recorded in India, though they are probably amongst the most 

 destructive with which the Forester has to deal. The chief object of 

 the present note is therefore to direct attention to the matter in the hope 

 of elicitiug practical accounts of more complete observations on the 

 subject. 



V.— AULACOPHORA ABDOMINALIS, Gemminger & Harold. 



(Aulacophora foveicollis, Baly.) 

 [ PL VI, figs. 5a.#5b.} 



This insect has been sent to the Indian Museum as destructive to 

 various crops in different parts of India. In Saharunpur it was found 

 to be destructive to all Cucurlitacece j London purple insecticide was 

 tried upon it, but this appeared only to have the effect of making the 

 beetle fly off the plant (see p. 112). Elsewhere in the North-Western 

 Provinces it attacks water caltrop (Trapa bispinosa) (see No. 1 of these 

 notes, p. 68). In Nuddea it was reported as injurious to " plants and 

 vegetables" {I. c). In Ganjam it was destructive to cotton, red gram, 

 and cucumber {I. c. } p. Qi), There would seem, therefore, sufficient evi- 

 dence to show that the insect is a destructive one. 



It occurs on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in India, 

 but its habits do not appear to have yet been studied. 



The following is a translation, from the French, of Lucas' descrip- 

 tion, published in L'Explor. Sci. de PAlgerie, Vol. II, p. 542 (1819) :— 



" Length 6| millimetres, breadth 3| millimetres. Head entirely smooth, vertex 

 brilliant reddish yellow, clypeus yellow and somewhat convex, with testaceous j^ellow 

 hairs sprinkled over it. Antenna) reddish yellow. Prothorax, which is somewhat 

 broad, is uniformly brilliant reddish yellow, sparingly sprinkled with somewhat well- 

 marked rounded punctatious ; in the centre of the prothorax is a strongly marked 

 transverse furrow, with rounded posterior outline : the edges of the prothorax are 

 turned up, the front outline is somewhat concave, while the lateral angles both in 

 front and behind are pronounced and but little rounded. The scutellum is quite 

 smooth and of a brilliant reddish yellow. The elytra are altogether yellow, slightly 

 contracted a short way from the thorax, and large and rounded posteriorily ; the 

 humeral angles are pronounced and rounded ; the punctation is fine and close. The 

 whole uudersurface is finely punctured, aud entirely black, with the exception of the 

 prosternum aud the posterior portion of the terminal abdominal segment, which are 

 yellow. The legs are reddish yellow all over." 



