266 Memoirs of the Indian Museum. [Vor. VI, 
a viviparous condition if circumstances are favourable and the weather mild and 
rainless. 
In May their numbers are always very considerably reduced, while in June one 
has to search a good deal before finding an isolated group of a few individuals. As 
the egg-laying period in this species is spread over a considerable time and the ovipa- 
rous females do not in any material respect differ from viviparous females, it is likely 
that some eggs are deposited even at this time. These again hatch out in September 
and the insects are abundant afterwards. Some apterous viviparous females may 
also live through the summer. The sexes are produced in November and December 
and the eggs are laid about the same time. 
Enemies.—All the larger Coccinellids and Syrphids abound on the aa of in- 
fested trees and feed on them freely, without appreciably reducing their numbers. 
The worst enemy they encounter is the exigencies of the weather. After a few clear 
days of strong heat one suddenly finds that the insects have completely disappeared , 
leaving only their skins sticking to the leaves and branches as reminiscences of their 
presence. 
Loss.—The loss to abe peach crop from the attack of this Aphid is immense. 
Very few fruits mature and attain the normal size and colour on infested trees. It is 
rather strange that the attention of the Agricultural Department has never been 
directed towards estimating and remedying the actual toss. Neither are any pre- 
ventive measures adopted to eradicate the pest by the peach growers. The only 
remedy occasionally resorted to, when it gets too menacing, is to employ boys to rub’ 
them off with handfuls of ashes. This affects a temporary relief only as even if a 
few escape death they multiply again very quickly. 
Historical and systematic.—The ‘‘ Peach-stem Aphid ’’ has probably been here 
for ages, and is known to the people as ‘‘ Aru ka Tela’’ ; there is nothing to indicate 
that it was imported from elsewhere. The only other es where it has been defi- 
nitely collected are Baluchistan and Palestine. 
The first European to take any notice of the insect was Mr. Elliot in Quetta 
(Baluchistan), who observed apricots being attacked very seriously and remarked that 
the trees bled profusely as a result. Asa matter of fact it was only the ‘‘ honey-dew,” 
the excreta of the Aphids coursing down the stems. - Whatever else he noted was 
quite correct and referred to this insect. He sent specimens to the Indian 
Museum in Caicutta for identification in 1890, and probably at the same time sent 
some more Aphids amongst which might have been specimens of what is now known as 
Tuberolachnus viminalis (Fonsc.) on willows. On the other hand it is also likely that 
there may have been some mixing up of the peach and Salix Aphids in Calcutta. I 
‘ have examined this material in the Museum, and it is a part of what was sent to 
Buckton for examination. I found very few individuals of the peach Aphid and only 
apterous forms, the rest being Tuberolachnus viminalis, both alate and apterous. 
Both are labelled ‘‘ On Peaches, Quetta.’’ 
Buckton treated the material as one, naming it Lachnus fuliginosus, Buck., a new 
species, and published a description in Indian Museum Notes, vol. II, no. I, p. 41, 
