118 In 'I /an Museum Notes. [Yol. HI. 



adding about half an ounce of sulphate of copper to each lb of paste, 

 while books already infested are disinfected by sbuttingtbem up for four 

 or five days in a close-fitting box of loose naphthaline with as much of 

 this substance as possible between the leaves. 



The following insects found attacking groundnut plants [Arachis 



, , , htjpogaa) in the neighbourhood of Panruti, 



Groundnut pests. cij_i*i ,- -, ^ .,^ 



bouth Arcut, were forwarded to tlie Museum 



in October 1892 by the Deputy Director, Land Records and Agriculture, 



Madras : — 



(1) jMudupucU, — This insect is said to be the most serious pest. 



It affects large areas and materially arrests the growth of the 

 plant. A good shower of rain appears to remove it. Further 

 information is promised. The specimens forwarded comprise 

 larvse and pupse of a microlepidopterous insect which can- 

 not be determined precisely without an examination of the 

 imago. 



(2) Verpucld, — This insect is said to occur only in isolated patches, 



and is chiefly injurious in times of drought. It devours the 

 fibrous roots of the groundnut plant and bites off the end of 

 the tap root. Plants attacked by it are killed outright. 

 It occurs in most fields, but is not common. The Shiyali 

 taluq, where groundnut cultivation is comparatively recent 

 and the soil sandy, is said to be to a great extent exempt 

 from it. The pupal case of what would seem to be a 

 Noctues moth was forwarded in connection with this insect, 

 but the material is insufficient for the determination of the 

 species. 

 (8) KamhilipucMs. — These insects are said to appear in large swarms 

 in times of drought. They pass en masse from field to field 

 completely defoliating the plants. An imago was reared in 

 the Museum from a pupa forwarded, and proves to be an 

 Arctiid moth of the genus Alva. The specimen differs in 

 markings, and is somewhat smaller in size than the typical 

 Aloa lactineay Cramer, but is likely to be merely a somewhat 

 abnormal representative of this common defoliating species. 



(4) TacJiaipulu. — This insect is said to devour the leaves of the 



groundnut plant, but is usually rare. The material proved 

 insufficient for determination. 



(5) Kalippiichi. — This insect is said to defoliate groundnut plants 



to a small extent, also to commit serious ravages on raggi and 

 gingelly crops. The specimen forwarded is an Acridid grass- 



