No. 3.] Cereals and Crops. 137 



towards the outer edge of a leaf for about half its circumference, the 

 leaf for that distance being wrapped around the cocoon. 



On Oryza sutiva, Linn., Natural Order Graminew. Rice or 



paddy. 



1. Melanitis ismene, Cramer. Sub-family Satyrime. Family 

 Nymphalidse. Sub-order Rhopalocera. Order Lepidoptera. Plate 

 ix, Figs. 4, male, wet~season form ; 4a, female, dry-season 

 form. 



Both wet and dry season forms of the butterfly Melanitis ismene, 

 Cramer, were reared in Calcutta in October, 1900, from larvae found 

 feeding on the rice plant. As the butterfly is common, especially 

 along the edges of paddy-fields where there is some cover for it — it 

 flies chiefly in the evening after sunset and in the morning before 

 sunrise, being markedly crepuscular in its habits — it is not unlikely 

 to do a considerable amount of damage to the growing rice. The 

 larva feeds commonly on coarse grasses also. 



The figures show both the wet and dry season phases of the 

 butterfly. It has a very wide range in the tropical portions of Africa, 

 Asia, Australia and the South Sea Islands, but does not occur in the 

 Americas, 



2. Baoris (Chapra) mathias, Fabricius. Family Hespeiiidse. Sub- 

 order Rhopalocera. Order Lepidoptera. Plate ix, Fig. 6, imago, 

 male. 



The larvae of this hesperid (or " Skipper " ) butterfly were found 

 feeding in October 1900 in Calcutta on the leaves of the rice plant. 

 The insect has a wide range in Asia and Malaya. The figure shows 

 both surfaces of a male bred from rice. The larva eats other grasses 

 also. 



3. Remigia frugalis, Fabricius. Family Noctuidae. Sub-order 

 Phalsense. Order Lepidoptera. Plate xiii, Fig. 4, imago. 



The larva of Remigia frugalis, Fabricius, was found feeding in 

 the neighbourhood of Calcutta in October 1900 on the leaves of 

 paddy and was reared in the Museum. Though apparently from the 

 few larvae discovered it does not appear to do any appreciable 

 damage, it goes to swell the large number of pests that ravage the 

 staple food crop of Bengal. The moth has a wide range, being 

 found in West Africa and throughout the Oriental and Australian 

 regions. The figure shows both upper and underside of the moth 

 which was bred from rice. 



