70 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. V. 



but very readily tunnelled into it, and in due time as many as a dozen 

 moths were obtained. These on comparison proved to be the sugar- 

 cane borer moths and as above mentioned were identified by Sir 

 G. F. Hampson as C. simplex. 



The importance of the point is obvious since it so enormously 

 facilitates the multiplying power and consequent spread of the 

 insect. 



2. Scirpophaga auriflua, Zell. 



References.— Zell. Mon. Chil. and Crarab, p. 2 ; C. and S. No. 4655 Ind. Mus- 



Notes, V 2. 41. 



Classification. — Order Lepidoptera. Sub-Order Heterocera. Family Pyvalida. 



Lije history and description. — The life history of this insect as 

 regards its attacks on the sugarcane has not yet, I believe, been 

 worked out in India, its attacks having been but recently reported. 

 As its larva is an internal borer its habits are likely to resemble 

 those of Chilo simplex already described above. 



Larva. — Attacks the growing tops of the cane and then burrows 

 down the middle of the pith. 



Imago. — The moth is pure white in colour, the anal tuft orange, 

 sometimes brownish in the female or rosy pink ; palpi porrect, 

 extending from once to twice the length of head, slightly clothed 

 with hair, and with the third joint down curved ; antennae of male 

 minutely serrated, ciliated; abdomen long in female expanding at 

 extremity and with a very large anal tuft; wings long and narrow. 



Distribution.— 'This insect is to be found all over India, Ceylon 

 and Burma. 



Report of attacks in the cane fields, -—In February, 1900, some 

 pieces of sugarcane from Kushtea were forwarded to the Indian 

 Museum by the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Bengal. 

 The sugarcane was found to be tunnelled by grubs, the moths of 

 which emerged in the Museum. They were identified by Sir G. 

 Hampson as Scirpophaga auriflua, Zell., a species which much 

 resembles S. excerptalis, Walker, described below. 



Remedies. — As it is not improbable that this insect passes the 

 winter in the larva stage inside the cane stalk, since the cane sent 

 to the Museum in February contained grubs, the remedies to be 

 employed for its extirpation would be the same as already described 

 under Chilo simplex. 



