44 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol V. 



was found to be tunnelled by grubs, the moths of which emerged in 

 the Museum. They were identified by Sir G. F. Hampson as Scir- 

 pophaga auriflua, Zell., a species which much resembles Scirpophaga 

 excerptalis, Wlk., which has been reported to be attacking sugar- 

 cane in the Gorakhpur district. The caterpillar of S. auriflua 

 appears to attack the growing tips of the sugarcane, and to burrow 

 down the middle of the pith, in precisely the same manner as 

 S. excerptalis is reported to do. The insect is figured on plate VI 

 (figs. 1—2). 



Aleurodes sp.— In January 1900 pieces of sugarcane leaf from 

 South Arcot, were forwarded to the Museum by G. Rajagopaul 

 Naidoo, Agricultural Inspector. He writes : — 



" The pest appears as numerous small ash-coloured oval spots underneath 

 the leaf blade. In some places only dark spots of similar dimensions are seen 

 indicating the marks left by the insects. The development of green colouring- 

 matter is arrested by the pest, causing the cane plant to look pale and stunted in 

 growth. No name is yet given to the pest though the cultivator of the field says 

 that he is aware of it for the last ten years. The soil of the field was loamy, in 

 nature disposed to be saline." 



Specimens were forwarded to Mr. E. E, Green who identified it 

 as an Aleurodid. 



To sum up ; the damage done to growing sugarcane during the 

 past year, so far as our reports go, is the work of the following nine 

 insects : — 



[a) Lepidoptera:— 



1. Chilo simplex, Butl. 



2. Scirpophaga excerptalis, Wlk. 



3. Scirpophaga auriflua, Zell. 



(b) Hemiptera: — 



4. Blissu s sp., probably gibbus, Fabr 



5. Dictyophara pallida, Donov. 



6. Aleurodes sp, 



7. Ripersia sacchari, Green. 



{c) Pseudoneuroptera :— 



8. Termes taprobanes, Walk. 



[d) Hymenoptera (doubtfully destructive) : — 



9. Durylus orientalis, Shuck. 



