3o6 



Nonagria (Sosamia) Inferens Wlk.— The larva on it: 

 under surface is of a whitish-yellow colour, and the upper has £ 

 somewhat pink reflection in most specimens. 



The head is brown (s 



The anterior and posterior portions of the body bear some 

 stiff outstanding bristles. Segments i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 

 and 11 each bear a pair of elongate spiracles placed vertically and 

 black in colour. 



There are three thoracic legs, and four abdominal prolegs. 

 The latter are borne on segments 6, 7, 8 and 9, the anal segment 

 bears the anal prolegs. 



The length of the larvae varv from £ to £ of an inch. 

 There is little to be said of the pupa. It is usually of a whitish - 

 yellow colour (darker towards the anterior portion) when it first 

 changes to this stage. Later it becomes darker. It is of 

 cylindrical form, and the posterior part being obtusely pointed. 

 It varies in size to about the same proportion as the larva. 



About 10 per cent, of the pupae gathered were parasitised. 

 One of the parasites is a small Chalcid and the other one of the 

 Ichneumonidse. 



A Defoliation of Coconut Trees. 

 On nth October, with the Inspector of Coconut Plantations, 

 1 visited Pusing Bharu, Batu Gajah district, with the object ot 

 examining the coconut trees which had been defoliated by 

 lepidopterous larva? during March and April of this year. 



i eggs, larvae, pupae and moths, which had i 



been present in grea't pTofusbT'weVey^when" I visited these 

 plantations, very scarce, and the few notes which I could collect 

 are here given. 



The coconut leaves were mined in a longitudinal manner and 

 as many as 40 vacated pupa cases were observed on one leal- 

 These cases are of a silky-white colour, depressed and ovoid m 

 shape and invariable on the under side of the leaf where the 

 larvae feed. 



A few larvae were found and these taken in the hope of rearing 

 a T' x U V aS 1 was unable t0 give careful attention to them AW 

 died. I therefore cannot say what the adult insect is, but it 

 probably one of the IortricW According to the owner 01 

 the plantations this same disease appeared some seven years a °. 



