No. 4.] Notes on Insect pests from the Entomologtcal Section. 198 



arid on two different kinds of plants, there is every reason to 

 suppose that it will soon extend its ravages on other agricultural 

 crops. 



As regards remedial measures, spraying the affected plants with 

 a solution of kerosine emulsion would be the simplest means to get 

 rid of the pest. 



c. Potato Aphis. — In January 1897, Dr. G. Watt, Reporter on 

 Economic Products to the Government of India, furnished specimens 

 to the Indian Museum of an Aphis said to be infesting potato plants 

 in the vicinity of Calcutta. He reported that the stem of the plant 

 gets withered near the ground, the very part on which the Aphis 

 occurSj and that all the affected parts of the crop consisted of plants 

 reared from cut seed potatoes j where whole potatoes were employed 

 the disease had not appeared. 



Aphids are well known to be agricultural pests, but the few dried 

 specimens that were sent for examination are insufficient for precise 

 identification. 



Some specimens of a red ant were also forwarded as occurring 

 along with the Aphis. These have been kindly identified by 

 Dr. Forel as belonging to the species Dorylus oriantalis, Westw.= 

 curtisii, Shnch.--^ o^erthuri and fuscus of Emery. 



With regard to the habits of this species he writes : — 



" All Dorylus species feed on animal food ( insect under the ground ), never 

 plants. This ant is certainly not obnoxious to potatoes, but was hunting after 

 worms and other insects in the same way as Dorylus fulvus worker hunts in 

 Algeria.'* 



d. Kankrol fruit pests. — In September 1897, ^^^ Scientific 

 Secretary to the Indian Gardening Association, Calcutta, forwarded to 

 the Indian Museum specimens of insects found boring into *' Kankrol " 

 fruits which he had bought in one of the Calcutta markets. 



The specimens consisted of two different kinds of insects, namely, 

 small larvae of a Tineid moth, and some Dipterous grubs of an 

 unknown species. 



