The Tea insects of India. 17 



females emerged in the Museum before the rainy season was far advanced, 

 80 the period passed iu the pupal stage must be comparatively short. 



Several specimens of an Ichneumonid parasite, also a single Taehinid 

 parasite, emerged in the rearing-cage iu which the caterpillars were kept 

 in the Museum. These parasites have not yet been precisely determined, 

 but they both belong to groups of insects which lay their eggs upon 

 caterpillars. From vv bat has been observed in the case of other species 

 we know that the grubs which emerge from these eggs cut their way 

 into the caterpillar's body. Their victim may drag on a weary existence 

 for sometime afterwards, but invariably perishes in the end, without leav- 

 ing offspring. The point is interesting as it shows that even the tough 

 case in which the bag worm encloses itself is not suflSeient to ensure it 

 from the attack of these parasite forms, which, as will be shown under 

 the heading of Dasychira thwaiiesii, have a wonderful effect in keeping 

 down some defoliating species of Lepidoptera in India. 



The block shows — (1) Adult male of Amatissa coiisorta; (2) its larval 

 case with empty pupal skin protruding ; (3) Taehinid parasite ; (4) Ich- 

 neumonid parasite. 



The figures are all draivn natural size. 



Govisana bipars. Walker. An insect thought to belong to this 

 species has been recorded by Dudgeon as feeding upon the tea plant in 

 Darjiling. Dudgeon noticed that it completely strips the tea bushes it 

 feeds on, and often kills them by taking off the bark to make its case. 

 The figure is from a specimen of the male moth presented to the Indian 

 Museum by Mr, Dudgeon. 



Postscript. — A quantity of live caterpillar in various stages of development, which 

 are tliought to belong to the species Govisana hijoars, Walker, have just been received 

 from a tea garden in Assam where they are said to have killed a number of bushes 

 down to the ground by eating off the bark — 28th March 1894. 



Sabula Sp. Bamber notices a caterpillar of this genus which 

 " builds for itself a conical case from the epidermis of the leaves on 

 which it lives," He adds — " I have only seen it on a ^qvj bushes in 

 Assam, but these it completely defoliated, being present on the bushes 

 throughout the whole season and preventing their flushing.^'' The insect 



c 



