No. 2. ] Note*. 109 



" 5. Specimens of leguminous seeds in earth, without any sign of insects. 



" 6. Some small obscure heterocerous larvse which cannot he precisely determined 

 without specimens of the moths into which they transform. No botanical specimens 

 accompanied these larvae." 



Further specimens, and also a practical account of the pests, are 

 desired, so that a more complete record may be furnished for reference. 



Some caterpillars have been received through the Director of Land 



Records and Agriculture, Bengal, from the Offi- 

 Further Patna pests. . . _.. , . * . ' „ ° / ... ., 



ciating District Engineer or ratna, with the in- 

 formation that the ones which are known locally as Lurka attack grains, 

 such as khessari (Lathyrus sativns) during the months of January and 

 February. The local report remarks that they appear "whenever an east 

 wind blows, especially during cloudy weather.'" The specimens marked 

 Lurka were found to comprise obscure larva? of several species of small 

 Heterocera, amongst which the only species that could be determined 

 precisely from the material was Heliothis armigera (p. 97), one of the 

 larvse of this species being found with its body half inserted in a full- 

 grown khessari pod, into which it had bored in the manner characteristic 

 of the species. 



The remaining insects, known locally as kira, which were said to eat 

 arhar (Cajanus indiciis), kerao (a small field-pea), &c, during the winter 

 months, were found to be obscure heterocerous larvse, which cannot be 

 precisely determined without specimens of the moths into which they 

 transform. 



Specimens were received, on 21st February 1889, from the Board of 



Revenue, Madras, through the Superintendent, Gov_ 

 Madras turmeric pests. , ^ . , ,_ -. , 3 



ernment Centra! Museum, Madras. 



" (1) Sutta thegulu, small black-winged insect, frequently jumps from one place to 

 another. This attacks the plants when two months old. The leaves become rolled up, 

 greenish in colour, turning pale yellow, and the leaves gradually become dry. This spoils 

 the turmeric crop, and rhizomes are not developed. Eggs are also deposited on the 

 back of the leaves. Sutta thegulu is considered to be a severe form of attach." 



This pest, Thrips sp., belongs to a group of insects well known in 

 Europe and America as garden pests. It has been found (vide Report 

 of the United States Entomologist) that the species which attacks the 

 flowers of orange trees in America can be destroyed by spraying the 

 flowers, either with whale oil soap solution (one lb. of soap to four or 

 five gallons of water), or with Pyrethrum wash (an ounce of Pyrethrum 

 mixed with a gallon of water), and it is probable that the same treatment 

 will be found effectual in the case of the Madras species. 



Particulars of any experiments that may be made with a view of 

 destroying this pest in the Madras Presidency will be of interest in 



