212 DR. K ANNANDALE: ON 



XIX. Sceliphron violaceum (Fabr.). 



This species was peculiarly common on Rameswaram Island at the time of my visit. 

 Large numbers of individuals were noted in the evening clinging together to loose ends 

 of thatch hanging from the eaves of a house at Pamben. They exhibited considerable 

 individual and sexual variation as regards size. 



XX. Camponotus compressus (Fabr.). 



C. maculatus, race compressus, Wroughton in Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc, VII, 

 p. 30. 



A very common species both at Mandapam and at Ramanad. 



Its habits in the district under consideration evidently differ somewhat from those of 

 colonies living in the neighbourhood of Bombay as described by Wroughton. The nests 

 are made either in the bare sand, irrespective of any shade, or in the walls and 

 foundations of houses. Winged males and females were noted in August in the nests, 

 and flew to light at night after a shower of rain. 



COLEOPTERA FROM RAMANAD. 



The bulk of the whole collection consists of small Coleoptera, only a few of which it 

 has been possible to name. Unnamed forms belong to the Melolonthidae, Carabidse, 

 Bostrychidae, Elateridse, Tenebrionidiae, Chrysomelidae (gen. Galkrucella), Curculionidae, 

 and one or two of the more obscure aquatic families ; the majority are Melolonthidae 

 (Coprides), and there are not more than two species of each of the other families named. 

 A Gallcvucella was common at Mandapam in the flowers of Cassia auriculata, and there 

 were numerous minute Water Beetles in all the pools and tanks both on Rameswarem 

 Island and on the mainland. A small black Tenebrionid was remarkable for the great, 

 powers of resistance it exhibited. Unlike the other Beetles noted, it did not remain in 

 the shade or concealed during the heat of the day, but walked about on the bare sand. 

 A specimen put in a fresh cyanide bottle did not succumb for 48 hours. A small 

 black-and-white weevil showed similar but less marked immunity in the same circum- 

 stances. None of the unnamed species exhibit any marked peculiarity of structure, 

 and all, with the exception of the weevil mentioned, are dark or inconspicuous in colour, 

 without showing any particular adaptation in this respect to their environment. 



As I have no particular comment to make on the majority of the specimens, it will 

 be unnecessary to note the whole of the species individually. 



XXIII. Serica Calcutta, Brenske. 



S. calcuttae, Brenske in bid. Mas. Notes, 1899, IV. p. 176, pi. XIII. fig. 3- 

 A species of Serica is common in Ramanad on the flowers of Cassia auriculata which 

 appears to be identical with this form. I have compared specimens with Brenske's types 

 in the Indian Museum. ..... . 



