No. 3.] Original Communications. 77 



concerned, something may be done to minimise the effects of bad 

 attacks. 



To begin with, when new cane fields are being prepared it is 

 important that all adjacent anthills should be levelled. I would 

 recommend hoeing in a strong mixture of wood ashes and slaked 

 lime. The soil should then be left for several months and then 

 heavily manured. The mixture will kill all insects living in the 

 ground, and the manure will counteract'the poisonous (to plants) * 

 effects which white-ants seem to have on the soil. Mr. Bamber 

 mentions that the tea plant will not grow either on the anthill or 

 when it has been cleared away unless heavy manuring is done and 

 the soil thoroughly pulverised afterwards. 



In the case of anthills which it is considered too expensive to 

 remove, a good plan which has been tried with success in Ceylon is 

 by the use of bisulphide of carbon. Dig two or three shafts down 

 through the anthill or make use of the main tunnels and plug them 

 with about half a pound of the bisulphide. Close all the other 

 openings with clay. The nest should then be left for twelve houis 

 or more. The poisonous fumes will kill off the colony in its en- 

 tirety if properly done. Another plan to try would be to light fires of 

 brushwood on the windward side and sprinkle them over with sulphur, 

 or cover them with damp straw, green branches, or old bamboo 

 mats. This will create a thick smoke, which will be forced into 

 the interior of the anthill and kill off the colony. This will save 

 expense, as if it is not actually within the proposed cane field area 

 or any adjacent to it (in the latter case it would be advisable to 

 remove it) there is no absolute necessity for its removal. 



6. — DorylllS orientalis, Westw. (doubtfully destructive). 



References. — Westw. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 72 ; Shuck, Ann. & Mag. Nat. 

 Hist., 1st Ser. v. 320, 7 (1840). Westw. Arc. Ent. 1-80-7; Ind. Mus. Notes. 

 V. 2, 42, 44. 



Classification, — Order Hymenoptera. Family FormiciJce. Sub-family Dorylides. 



Description.^ 'IMAGO 3 . Pale testaceous with a long shiny, silky 

 pubescence, especially in front of the head and throughout the thorax : 

 head red, mandibles and scape of the antennae castaneous, the latter 

 about one-fifth the length of the entire organ, which is filiform and 

 elongate ; ocelli disposed in a triangle at the vertex, large, with less 



1. Chemistry and Agriculture of Tea including growth and manufacture by M Kelway 

 Bamber. 



2. Vide Shuckard's Ann. and Mag, Nat. Hist, ist Ser. V. 320, 7 (1840). Q 



