No. 3.] Original Communications. 8 1 



pound of London-purple to 50 gallons of water is recommended. 

 First mix the London-purple separately with a small quantity of water, 

 then add to it the whole supply. It must be remembered that the 

 powder does not dissolve in water, and therefore all washes containing 

 London-purple must be constantly stirred to keep it in suspension 

 or it will sink to the bottom. The proportion of powder to water 

 should not be exceeded and an even more dilute solution may be 

 tried to begin with and strengthened if not found effective. An 

 addition of flour to the mixture has been strongly recommended in 

 the United States because of the greater adhesiveness thus given, 

 and also because the difference of colour helps to show the amount 

 that has been distributed on the leaves. Two or three pounds has 

 been named as the quantity for the above mixture, but the amount 

 used would appear to be immaterial. Great care must be taken not to 

 drench the foliage. The spray should only be allowed to fall upon the 

 cane until it begins to drop from the leaves and no longer. 



It will probably be found best to do the spraying towards evening, 

 as the insects, if beetles, will not be so ready to fly away before the 

 spray as during the daytime. Two or three sprayings should be 

 given if required, but two or three days should be allowed to inter- 

 vene. Although beetles may still be seen flying about the crop 

 after the poisoning, they will in all probability not do much harm on an 

 area that has been properly sprayed. In recommending the above 

 remedy for these leaf-eating insects, it must be pointed out that very 

 little has been done in this direction in India to mitigate bad attacks 

 of crop-feeding insects. Taking into consideration; however, the 

 excellent results that are daily being obtained in America and now 

 in England with these insecticides, I am of opinion that it will be 

 found that much may be done towards saving thousands of acres of 

 crops that annually suffer or are entirely ruined by insect pests. 



2. Haplosomyx elongatus, Baly. 



References. — Indian Museum Notes, IV. I. p. 30. 

 Classification. — Order Coleoptera. Family Chrysomelidce . 



A small brightly coloured leaf-feeding beetle. 



Very little is at present known about its life history. 



Distribution.—^ Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Assam. 



Report of attacks in the cane fields. — In July, 1894, specimens of 

 this insect were forwarded to the Indian Musuem, Calcutta, by the 

 Director, Department of Land Records and Agriculture, Assam. It 

 was reported to be attacking young sugarcane. 



