No* 2.] Notes on insect pests from the Entomological Section, 77 



information that they were infesting fowls to the extent of killing 

 them, in the neighbourhood of Bombay. The ticks proved to be new 

 to the Indian Museum collection, so specimens were submitted to 

 Mr. A. D. Michael for his examination. Mr. Michael in a letter 

 dated 6th May 1895 wrote : — "The ticks which you send are the 

 common Argas rejiexus of Fabricius. I think the Argas persicus oi 

 Fischer of Waldheim is really the same species ; if there be any dis- 

 tinction, probably your specimens would be considered to be A. 

 persicus, but I do not believe that there is. The species seems 10 

 be distributed practically over all temperate and tropical countries 

 where the pigeons, fowls, etc., on which it lives, are present. It is 

 quite possible that it kills the fowls if it be numerous ; the bite is 

 bad, particularly in hot countries ; the Persian specimens were once 

 supposed to be capable of killing human beings, which is probably 

 incorrect ; still it is quite possible that the bites inflame seriously in 

 great heat." 



" The Argas is a difficult thing to get rid of, as it is most tenaci- 

 ous of life, and it is far from easy to kill it without killing the fowl ; 

 probably sulphur or carbolic acid would be the best chance. Those 

 you sent alive were still alive and quite well when I opened them." 



VI.— REPORTS OF RESULTS OF REMEDIES, ETC., TRIED 

 DURING THE YEAR. 



I. TAR, CHALK, BIRD-LIME USED AGAINST ANTS, 



In a letter dated 23rd September 1895, forwarded by the Officiat- 

 ing Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Assam, the Manager 

 of the Rajpur Estate and Trading Company reports the destruction 

 of lac {Coccus lacca) by ants. 



The remedies tried against the ants appear to have given no good 

 results, were painting a ring of tar or tar and oil or chalk or bird 

 lime round the stems of the trees to prevent them from climbing up 

 the tar, and tar and oil rotted the bark and killed the trees, while the 

 other substances did no good. 



A heap of fine dry sand round the base of the tree would pro- 

 bably have been found useful as impeding the progress of the ants. 



