Systematic Course. 55 
structure they are able to step along with considerable rapidity by 
holding the ground first withthe jointed legs at the anterior end of 
the body and then with the prolegs at the posterior end, while they 
alternately hump up their bodies and stretch themselves out to their 
full extent. Geometres caterpillars are popularly known as Jooper's. 
They feed upon leaves and are likely to cause damage as defoliators, 
though they do not seem as yet to have been reported in this connec- 
tion in Indian forests, The students should notice the group, as the 
insects are common and conspicuous. . 
The Museum contains both larve and moths for examination. 
Microlepidoptera—This group is a somewhat artificial one, as it is 
made to include a vastassemblage of minute moths of very different 
structure. It may be roughly defined as comprising minute moths: 
which do not belong to any of the preceding groups. Amongst the 
more injurious species the students should notice— 
(1) The toon-borer (Magiria robusta, Moore), which can usually 
be seen at work on the young toon trees which line the 
roads in Dehra, The caterpillar tunnels into the terminal 
shoots of the toon. Each shoot that is attacked dies back, 
and as the process goes on, year after year, the trees get 
converted into masses of distorted branches with no well- 
marked trunk above a few feet from the ground, The 
imago is a little greyish moth which emerges in the 
autumn from the chrysalis which is formed in the tunnel, 
(2) The teak-leaf roller (Paiiga damastesalis, Walker), which 
has been reported as doing a good deal of damage in 
Lower Burma, also in Berar. The moth is a pearly-white 
creature, with numerous tiny spots and cross-bands upon 
the wings. The pupa is formed on the leaf, which is 
rolled up by the caterpillar for the purpose. Moths 
have been obtained in May and the insect is likely to pass 
through several generations in the year. Major Bingham 
writes— 
“My recollection (for I unfortunately have miclaid the notes I took) 
of the ravages of these caterpillars when I was in charge of the 
Rangoon Division, is that they appeared in the teak plantations 
on or about the 20th May, sometimes in almost incredible numbers. 
Their ravages were confined. to certain areas where they reappeared 
year after year, stripping the young teak of their leaves with 
the rapidity almost of locusts, and hanging in thousands by webs 
to the branches of the trees.” 
(8) The numerous clothes-moths, whose caterpillars may be 
recognised by the little cases that they construct for them- 
selves out of the woollen material upon which they feed. 
In 1889 some of these insects destroyed the lining of 
