126 Indian Mttseum Notes. [Vol. IV. 



In January 1895, specimens of Betel-nut lAreca catechu) were 

 received in the Indian Museum from Babu G. C. Chuckerbutty, Ento- 

 mological Artist of the Museum, with the information that they had 

 been seriously damaged by insects on being stored in the house, and 

 consequently they were unfit for human consumption. The A reca 

 nut, according to McCullock's Dictionary of Commerce and Com- 

 mercial Navigation, is one of the indispensible ingredients which 

 enter into the preparation of the pan or betel-leaf, which is chewed 

 so universally by natives of all classes, and is therefore of great 

 commercial value throughout India. 



On making a superficial examination of the affected nuts they 

 were found to be badly drilled on all sides by minute holes and some- 

 what discoloured in appearance. Splitting open into halves some of the 

 nuts, beetles, in different stages of development, were found inside, 

 which proved to belong to the family Anthribidae. As the Museum 

 collection of this group of insects is very incomplete, the identifica- 

 tion of the pest could not be locally made. Examples were, however, 

 submitted to Mons. A. Fauvel of France, who very willingly 

 examined the insect and determined it as belonging to Araeocerus 

 fasciculatus, Degeer, a cosmopolitan species, probably originating 

 in India, which has previously been reported as attacking coffee 

 berries, ginger, Chinese figs, etc. 



The following is a description of the species, by T. Vernon 

 Wollaston, M.A.,F.L.S., published in the Ann. and Mag. of Natural 

 History, Vol. V, p. 18, 1870. 



"Ar^OCERUS FASCICULATUS. a. breviier ovalis^ crassus, hrun- 

 neo-piceus,pube hrevi squamasformi demissa cinerea griseaque vestitus 

 necnon in elytris plus minus obsoletissime [sc, in interstitiis alter- 

 nis) longitudinaliter tessellatus ; capite prothoraceque [siibter pube) 

 opacis, densissime et rugose punctatisy illo in medio temiiter carinu- 

 lata oculis maximis promineniibus, hoc subconico^ postice lato bisi- 

 nuatOy costa transversa in marginem basalem coeunte necnon utrinque 

 marginem lateralem {usque ad medium lateris ductujn) efficiente, 

 angulis posticis subrectis ; elytris apice truncato-rotundatiSy {suhter 

 pube) subopacis, densissime et rugose granulatis ac leviter ere- 

 nulato-striatis ; antennis pedibusque elongatis et {prsecipue illis) 

 gracilibus, illis rujo-testaceis clava obscuriore, his rufo-ferruginets, 

 tarsorujn ari° imo. longissimo." 

 Long. Corp. tin. 2-2^. 



Two examples of an Ar^ocerus, which were taken at St. Helena 

 by Mr. Melliss, 1 feel almost confident are referable to the A. /dscicw 

 latus (which is usually known in collections as the coffeae of Fabri- 



