213 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. V. 



the name ; and I am inclined rather to look on the insect as perhaps 

 more than a mere variety. But you may be sure at least that you 

 specimens are identical with those from Ceylon. 



4. Aleurodes sp. on heteUnut palm. — In May 1896, Dr. G. Watt, 

 while on deputation to enquire into the cause of the disease affecting 

 betel-nut palms in Backerganj, found a small black scale-insect 

 with a white waxy border fairly abundant on diseased trees. 



The leaves forwarded by him to the Indian Museum were found 

 to be thickly beset with scale-insects which appeared to belong to 

 the sub-family Aleurodidds; the specimens being new to the Museum 

 collection. 



In order to obtain the precise identification of the pest, specimens 

 were submitted to Mr.- W. M, Maskell who kindly examined them 

 and furnished a note upon the subject, Mr. Maskeli found that the 

 leaves were covered with a species of Aleurodes, larvae, and pupae, 

 which appear to be intermediate between A. barodensis and A- 

 piperzs oi his paper of 1895. They have the strong black hairs of 

 A. piperis with a thick white waxy fringe rather more solid than 

 that of A. barodensis. They seem to be nearest to A. piperis^ but 

 differ from it sufficiently for him to consider them distinct. 



5. Coelosterna 5^.— Specimens of a longicorn beetle were received 

 in December 1897 from Mr. B. O. Coventry, Assistant Conservator 

 of Forests, Lahore, with the information that they were causing much 

 damage to the Mulberry trees in the Shahdera Plantation. 



, The insect appeared to be a Coelosterna and not unlike the 

 species C. scabrata, Fabr., which does a good deal of damage to 

 sal trees in Oudh. 



Mr. Coventry has furnished the following note regarding the 

 insect: — 



" The presence of the larvse of this beetle is easily recognised by the red rusty 

 colour on the stems of the mulberry trees, due to the sap trickling down from the 

 holes made by the larvae in coming to the surface. The burrow usually commences 

 high up the stem and often from a branch. From this point the larva burrows 

 down the stem, in the heart-wood, making a tunnel which gradually increases 

 in diameter, — at intervals it comes to the surface making a hole from which wood 

 dust is thrown out and the sap trickles down staining the stem a rusly red colour. 



