42 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. V. 



rust-proof variety was selected. This method "of selection is, we 

 believe, the only one that- gives any promise of stopping the ravages 

 of rust. 



In June a further communication was received from the same 

 office, together with fresh samples of sugarcane pests, with the 

 following report: — 



" Sample i.— Locally called Pehk Safed, an insect which burrows into the 

 main stalk of the young sugarcane plant in April or May when the crop is two 

 or three months old. The stalk attacked by this insect rots inside and the leaves 

 dry up. Fresh shoots begin to spring from the root if watering is kept up. 



" Sample 2. — Local name, Pinka Swfh. This insect only differs from No. 1 

 in colour and is found with No. 1 in abundance, in the same plant doing the 

 same sort of mischief as No. I. 



" Sample 3. — No local name, only one insect of this kind could be got inside 

 the young stem of a plant which has been attacked by Nos. 1 and 2. 



" Sample 4. — Kunga or Ahola. It was collected several months ago and 



cannot be got at this time of the year It is a borer and attacks the 



full-grown plant from the month of August onwards by burrowing through the 

 top and gradually eating into the first two to four internodes. When it has 

 attacked a plant the growth of the cane at the top is stopped, and new shoots 

 begin to spring from the upper joints of the cane. 



"Sample 5.— White ants which eat into the seed-cuttings planted. 

 '• Sample 6.—Kari an insect which has done considerable mischief in Azam- 

 garh to full-grown canes." 



On examination sample No. 2 proved to be an ant of the species 

 Dorylus orientalis, Shuck., and No. 1 the pupa of the same. 



Mons. Favel who identified the insect for us writes as follows : 



"Your ant said to be infesting sugarcane plants is Dorylus orientalis, Shuck- 

 This species like the whole of the genus, lives exclusively on animal food. All 

 species of Dorylus are driver ants, hunting insects and small living animals 



underground." 



If this is so, the ant so far from being a pest might be regarded 

 as beneficial ; but Mr. E. E. Green (see page 39) says that he must 

 " most emphatically contradict this statement so far as it refers to 

 Dorylus orientalis. West." 



Samples 3 and 4 were the larval forms of the moth Chilo simplex, 

 Butler. Sample 5 consisted of some specimens of the worker form 

 of a " white ant " Termes taprobanes, Walk. A single specimen of 

 a" big caterpillar" included in the sample appears to be the grub of 

 a Melolonthine beetle (cockchafer). 



Both these insects when in abundance might do a considerable 

 amount of damage by boring into the roots of the sugarcane. 



Sample 6 consisted of the immature forms of a bug belonging to 



