THE FAUNA OF A DESERT TRACT IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 211 



LOCUSTID-E 



8. Schizodactylus monstrosus, Drury. 



Common in sandy soil in the neighbourhood of water in some parts of Northern India, 

 but rather local ; flies to light at night, often in considerable numbers. Only two 

 specimens were obtained on the Perso-Baluch border. 



NEUROPTERA FROM RAMANAD. 



The only species of the true Neuroptera observed or collected were two Myrmeleonides, 

 which I have been unable to identify. One, with transparent and colourless wings, was 

 common above tide-mark on the shore at Pamben, the other occurred on the sand a short 

 distance inland, being a larger and stouter form with wings spotted with black. Two 

 somewhat similar species are represented in the Seistan collection. The " Ant Lions " 

 are naturally restricted to localities where the soil is sandy, as sand is the suitable material 

 for the pitfalls of their larvae. 



Of the Pseudo-Neuroptera, several species of Dragon Flies occurred round the 

 slightly brackish pools in the sand near Pamben. Only one specimen was, however, 

 taken, and one Embiid. 



XIV. Brachydiplax sobrina, Selys. 



A single female from Pamben, where the species is common. This specimen agrees 

 closely with a Burmese example in the Museum named by de Selys. 



HYMENOPTERA FROM RAMANAD. 



The Hymenoptera in my collection form only a small proportion of the species that 

 occur commonly in Ramanad. Several Ants abound, and the number of Mason Wasps 

 and the like which frequent the edges of the tanks is certainly considerable. A large 

 proportion of the Seistan collection consists of members of this order. 



XV. Xylocopa amethystina, Fabr. 



A single female was taken on Rameswaram Island. Its right front wing is injured in a 

 manner which suggests that it had been seized by a bird and so broken. 



XVI, XXVII. Eumenes conica & Vespa cincta, Fabr. 

 A single specimen of each. 



XVII. ICARIA MARGINATA (Lepel). 



A very common species at Ramanad. Bingham gives the distribution : "Southern 

 India. " There are memerous specimens from Sikkim and Northern Assam in our collec- 

 tion which have been named Icarai marginato by Dudgeon and others. They doubtless 

 represent a local race of the species, the ground colour being a very dark-brown instead 

 of the bright golden-brown of the typical form, which is that of Ramanad. 



