124 



Indian Miissuvi Notes. 



[Vol. IV, 



In November 1895 the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, 



North-West Provinces 

 and Oudh, forwarded 

 to the Indian Museum 

 specimens of this insect, 

 with the information 

 that they were attack- 

 ing wheat and gram 

 crops, etc., in his prov- 

 inces. About the same 

 time specimens, which 

 proved to be of the same 

 species, were also sent 

 to the Museum through 

 Mr. J. Lancaster, Secre- 

 tary to the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, as causing 

 great damage to riihbi crops, mangels and s-tueeds in Behar, 



The following report has been furnished by the Director of Land 

 Records, North-West Provinces and Oudh : — 



" The insect known throughout the eastern districts as " godela " and identified 

 on reference to the Superintendent, Indian Museum, as belonging to the family 

 Curculionidse, genus Tanynnecus, species indictis, has this year attracted special 

 attention bv extensive a ttacks on the newly-germinating spring crops, more parti- 

 cularly wheat, peas, and gram, and sometimes but less frequently barley. It has 

 long been known well bv poppy cultivators, its attacks inordinary- years being 

 directed almost exclusively to newly germinated poppy plants. To these it has 

 this year been specially fatal, having made no less than three sowings necessary, in 

 many villages. The attacks of the " gadela " on young crops cease as soon as 

 the temperature falls to a certain degree, and the cultivators believe that its special 

 activitv- this year is due to the unusual continuance of a high temperature into 

 the month of November. In connection with this point the normal temperature 

 during each week in November at Allahabad is compared below with the actual 





lemperature. 





NOVEME 



ER 1895. 







1st week. 



2nd week. 



3rd week. 



4th weak. 



Actual ...... 



Normal ...... 



73'4 

 71-6 



74'2 

 1 6g'2 



71 -s 



67-4 



66-3 

 65-0 



temperature this year. Its widespread ravages have this year attracted the atten- 

 tion of cultivators of casts and tracts by whom and in which poppy is not grown, 

 and a crop of new names have therefore been bestov^ed on it. It is known as 

 "Shaikh Chillis," "Sher Bahadur," " Bahadura," " Bajpai"and possibly by other 



