No. 2.] Notes on insect pests from the Entomological Section. 5-f 



(vii) Vegetables, etc. 



In December 1899, vegetables were reported to be much damaged 

 in Backergunge by cutworms. Some specimens were forwarded 

 through the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Bengal, by 

 the Manager, Court of Ward's Estates, Backergunge. He writes:-— 



" During the day the insects lie hidden under earth and in the night they 

 come out and cut the stems of the young plants of cabbages, cauli flowers,' etc." 



The caterpillars resemble those of Agrotis sujfusa, Fabr. The 

 caterpillar of this moth does a deal of damage in India by biting off 

 young plants of all kinds close to the ground. 



In May 1899, * ne Superintendent of the Central Jail, Bhagalpur, 

 forwarded some insects which he reported to be damaging the 

 vegetables in the Jail garden. On examination they proved to be 

 bugs of the family Pentatomidse species Apinis concinna, Dallas. 

 They have been previously reported as attacking rdhi crops in the 

 North- West Provinces, 



In April 1900, the Reporter on Economic Products to the 

 Government of India forwarded beetles which were reported to be 

 attacking tomatoes in Sibpur. On examination they proved to 

 belong to two different species of Melolonthine beetles (Cockcha- 

 fers). They have been identified by Mr. E. Brenske as Schizo- 

 nycha fuscescens 3 Blanch., and Apogonia Blanchardi x Rits. var. 

 carinata, Brenske. 



{viii) Cotton Pest. 



The Director of Land Records and Agriculture, North-West 

 Provinces and Oudh, forwarded some caterpillars which were 

 reported to have attacked the cotton crop at the Government Farm, 

 Cawnpore. It was impossible to identify the larvae with any 

 certainty, but they appeared to be the', larvae of a Nocfcues moth, 

 possibly Heliothis armigera, Hubn., a noctuid moth whose larvae 

 attacks various crops in India. It is known in America, in the 

 Southern States, where it does immense damage to the cotton crops, 

 as the " Boll worm." 



III.— TEA PESTS. 

 Larvae (preserved in alcohol) of a Geometrid moth were received 



