No. 3.] Sugarcane. *8t 



varieties of cane, but not in the kalagera variety (Bowhan cane), 

 probably owing to the fact that this last was at the time of my 

 visit to Seeraha some eight feet high, and all borers were then very 

 scarce and difficult to discover. 



As regards remedies, the egg of N. inferens not having been 

 discovered, it is not possible to say if the pest can be attacked at 

 that stage. In the larva stage cutting out all diseased canes would 

 appear to be the only effectual remedy. The cut out canes should 

 be at once burnt or fed to cattle, never left on the fields. If allowed 

 to remain on the fields the larva will when full-grown bore through 

 the cane and probably pupate in the earth in the usual way, the 

 moths emerging in due course and producing a second generation. 

 As the Noctuidae are especially fond of sweets, trays of molasses 

 put out in the fields would doubtless attract large numbers, but it is 

 doubtful if they would get drowned in the treacle, being strong 

 fliers; probably they would rest just on the edges of the trays and 

 sip their fill from thence, flying away again when satiated. 



This borer is attacked by a hymenopterous parasite which has 

 been described as a new species by Mr. William H. Ashmead. He 

 has named it Macrocentrus nicevillei. 



Plate xii, Fig. 9, shows a female imago , upper and under sides ; 

 9 a and 9 &, larva dorsal and lateral views ; 9 c, pupa, all life size. 



7. Agonoscalis nubila, Fabricius. Division Eysarcoriaria. Sub- 

 family Pentatomime, Family Pentatomidse, Order Rhynchota. 



At Sikta, Betteah, Behar, I found this bug in large numbers on 

 the sugarcane leaves, to which it did a certain amount of damage. 

 Further notes on this species will be found on page 143 under 

 Corn. 



8. Ripersia saccharic Green. Family Coccidse. Order Rhyn- 

 chota. 



In June and again in August, 1901, I found considerable colonies 

 of this " mealy bug" in all the five varieties of cane (chinia, nagsri, 

 samsara, burali and kalagera) growing at Seeraha, Indigo Concern, 

 Champaran, Behar. The colonies vary considerably in number ; 

 in some instances there were only a few coccids, in others as many 

 as twenty, in a colony. They are found between the outer sheathing 

 leaves and the stalks of the cane, always low down near the ground, 

 never high up on the cane. The lower leaves of the cane (generally 

 known as " trash ") easily come off with the exercise of slight 

 force ; not so the younger leaves growing higher up the stalk. The 

 insect appears to do but little damage, at any rate this is so at 



