122 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. IV 



Mnlnhnr. My infdrmnnt stntes that the local name is C/zriz///, and that last year 

 tliey did an imiiuMisc amount of damage to the paddy here in places, very much 

 more as far as I can make out than has ever been known before." 



\c) Tlirougli the Director, Land Records and Agriculture, Bengal, 

 from the Collector, Cuttack Collectorate, avIio wrote : — 



" I have the honour to forward herewith some specimens of insects which are 

 destroying the Lo^Iik rice to a certain extent in this district. 



Knciuiry is being made as to how far the ravages committed by these insects 

 extend, and what is the best moans of getting rid of them. I have directed the 

 Sub-neputy Collector in charge of the enquiry to endeavour to get ryots try 

 the experiment of smoking the fields by burning weeds, etc., to windward." 



{d) Through the Superintendent, Government Museum, Madras, 

 with a report from the Collector of Ganjam, dated 8th Novem- 

 ber 1896 : — 



" That m the paddy fields of some villages in Goomsur division, winged 

 insects of a peculiar sort have appeared, and that they are sucking up the 

 milk out of the paddy oars. 



Similar insects were not, it is reported, even before seen in Goomsur." 



{e) The Director, Land Records and Agriculture, Bengal, from 

 the Sub-Divisional Onicer, Bhola, who wrote : — 



" The general charartcr of the insects herewith sent is that Ihoy thrust their 

 long lips into tho padily, and suck the milk in its immature state after its ears 

 shoot out .... 'Ihe present insects arc very export in Hying, and they 

 will ily away in flock at once at the approach of man. The invasion of insects is 

 reported to be greater on the lazumaddi side. They invade the crop both on 

 the high and low land." 



2. XjC2>tispa pijgviwa, Baly. 



(Ord. Colcoptora, Fam. (luysomolid.'o, Sub-fam. Hispinae.) 



Plate No. XI, Jig. 3, a and h, beetle, dorsal and side vieirs. 



In December iSoC^ sj^ecimens of an insect causing damage to 

 paddy stalks in the Malabar district were forw^uded to the Museum 

 through the Superintendent, Governn\eut Museum, Madras, from the 

 Special Assistant Collector, Malabar, who wrote : — 



" That n good deal of harm is being done to the existing paddy crop liy a 

 peculiar kind of flies of which I forward some specimens in a bottle. 



Those flics sit in nnmbors on the stalks of growing paddy and when they do so, 

 the rtalks begin to wither «nd f^radually decay. Complaint is heard on all sides 

 of this post, ni\d il any romedy against its attack can bo suggested, it will be of 



