No. 4.] Notes on Insect pests from the Entomological Section. 200 



few days the reports of damage have become accentuated, and have been 

 confirmed by European observation. 1 have had some of the canes dissected 

 with the result mentioned in my telegram. The earwig is smaller and thinner 

 than an English earwig. The caterpillar is about \\ inch in length, of a pale 

 semi-transparent whitish grey colour, having thin longitudinal stripes of very 

 pale brown, along which at intervals are largish spots of much darker brown. 



" I fear that the crop in the delta has already suffered severely, and shall 

 be glad if you can assist the ryots in staying the progress of the ravage. In the 

 uplands, where the canes are irrigated from wells, the scourge does not seem 

 to have made its appearance." 



On examining the samples of cane, none of the caterpillars men- 

 tioned in the report were discovered in them, but only a few earwigs 

 which are not thought to be the real cause of the disease. 



It is well known that the sugar-cane in this country is subject to 

 the attack of a borer moth Diatrsea sacharalis^ Fabr., the cater- 

 pillar of which tunnels into and destroys the cane. Accounts of the 

 insect may be found in Indian Museum Notes, Vol. 1, pp. 22-27. 



7. Thb Migratory locust of North-West India. 



Acridium peregrinuwi, Oliv. 



During the year 1897 the flights of the migratory locust 



{Acridium peregrinum, Olivr.) of North-Western India, appear to 



have been very prevalent and the injury done by them to crops, etc., 



very extensive both in India and the Baluchistan Agency^ and also 



in the Persian Gulf. In Baluchistan alone the damage done to 



cultivation by this insect is estimated at R6o,ooo or 670,000 to 



State revenue. On the 12th June they were reported to 



be in such swarms that the train from Quetta to Chaman was 



