24 7'^^ Tea insects of India. 



subsequently been complained of, it is not likely to be of very much 

 importance. 



The figure ebows the caterpillar, natural size. The specimen was 

 kept for some time in alcohol before the drawing was made, so the figure 

 is not a very satisfactory one, though it gives the essential features of 

 the insect, 



Caterpillars of the group Geometres can be recognised by their pecu- 

 liar mode of progression. TLiey have the anterior pairs of prologs rudi- 

 mentary and the remainder set far back, while the body is slender and 

 elongated. Owing to this peculiar structure they are able to step along 

 with considerable rapidity, by holding the ground first with the little 

 jointed legs (A), at the front end of the body and then with the prolegs 

 (B), at the posterior end, while they alternately hump up their bodies and 

 stretch them out to their full extent. Geometres caterpillars are on this 

 account popularly known as loopers. They all feed upon leaves. When 

 full grown, the caterpillar transforms into a chrysalid whence the moth 

 afterwards emerges. The moths of the various species are very different 

 from each other in appearance, but most of them are slender creatures 

 with large weak wings. The males have flat comb-shaped antennse, the 

 females have slender thread-like antennse. The species which feeds upon 

 tea has yet to be determined and traced through the various stages of its 

 development. 



NOCTUES. 



Agrotis SUffusa, Fabr. This cosmopolitan insect is one of a 

 number of allied species which do much damage to crops in all parts of 

 the world. 



It has been recorded by Green as attacking young tea plants in 

 Ceylon, where its caterpillar is known as " black grub." It has not actu- 

 ally been sent to the Indian Museum in this connection from any Indian 

 tea garden, but it has frequently been reared by the writer from cater- 

 pillars sent to the Museum as attacking other crops in India, and it repre- 

 sents a group of insects with one or more of which the Indian tea planter 

 is very likely to be troubled. It has been reported as attacking various 

 crop plants in Kurseong, Jessore, Murshidabad, Tipperah, Ghazipur, 



