60 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. VL 



Beetle.^— Subovate, rather shining, finely and uniformly punctu- 

 late, red ; head, base of thorax, and elytra each with three spots 

 (2 placed transversely at the base, 1 large, occupying the posterior 

 third), black ; thorax formed as in Chilocorus, broadly rounded 

 behind, sides produced, narrow, rounded ; tibiae compressed, exter- 

 nally setose. L. 6"2 millim. When ready to issue the pupal skin 

 splits down dorsally and ventrally at the anterior end and the beetle 

 crawls out. Fig. nd shows the beetle, natural size and enlarged. 



Larva. — When young the larva is long, narrow and black. It 

 retains this colour during its first two moults. As it grows older the 

 markings change to white and black or reddish with white markings, 

 or greyish purple. When full grown the head is well developed, 

 narrower than the following 10 segments of the body. Of these 

 latter the middle ones are broadest, the grub tapering to either end. 

 These segments project laterally into pointed teeth, giving a serrate 

 edged appearance to the grub. On each of the 10 segments there 

 are four dorsal tubercles, two on each side. The last two segments 

 taper, are reddish-black in colour, :he last one ending in a sucker pad- 

 like apparatus which forms the end of the body and which is very 

 adhesive. The arrangement of the segments render the body 

 extremely pliable and the larva can almost roll itself up into a ball. 

 Ventral surface same colour as dorsal but has no tubercles. Just 

 before pupating the larva often changes from the white and black 

 or greyish purple colour to a brick red. Long. 8'2 millim. Figs. 11, 

 iia, show the larva, dorsal and side view (enlarged). 



Pupa. — 'The pupa is attached to a leaf or twig, the larva fixing 

 itself in this position before pupating by means of the adhesive pad at 

 the end of its body ; it remains projecting outwardly at an angle from 

 the point of attachment; dorsal surface convex, ventral concave. 

 After 24 hours the larval skin splits down anteriorly and the bright 

 red spherical pupa is disclosed. In the pupa the small black eyes of 

 the future beetles, the developing wings and the dorsal ridges of the 

 abdominal segments are clearly distinguishable under the skin. Colour 

 varies from bright to dull red, crimson lake or orange red. Size about 

 6*2 millim. Figs lib, lie show the pupa side and dorsal view. 



Distribution. — Pondicherry (Guerin) ; Dehra Dun plateau, North- 

 ern India (mihi). 



Life-History. — The insect was found by the writer in all its 

 stages of larva, pupa and adult in the middle of April 1902, up 

 to the end of that month and on into the first week in May when, 

 having laid its eggs, it disappeared. Both larvae and beetles were 

 actively engaged in feeding upon the large white scale insect Mono- 

 phlebus stebbingi which was swarming in the sal forests of the 



