4bb 



Besides this however the same trees were infested by another 

 kind of larva whose work on the tree is more superficial. Its pre- 

 sence was revealed by finding on the surface of the bark long 

 arched tunnels of irregular direction reminding one of the similar 

 structures made by white ants : the delicate fabric of the arch was 

 made up of tiny particles of Mango bark closely bound together by 

 numerous silky filaments secreted by the animal. This larva was a 

 caterpillar of length about one inch : dorsally it is dark brown in 

 colour and its skin is chitinously thickened except at the joints 

 where it is thin and of a pale colour, Ventrally also it is pale. 

 Each segment bears a few bristly hairs: abdominal segments 3, 4, 

 5, 6 and 9 each have a pair of prolegs. 



When this animal is irritated it vomits a dark brown juice. 



It is usually to be found in a self constructed pit situated at one 

 end of the tunnel: it evidently leaves the tunnel at times — probably 

 at night for the bark of the tree has been gnawed away over a fairly 

 large area in the vicinity of the tunnel. To some extent this cater- 

 pillar also bores into the wood but scarcely sufficiently to do much 

 damage in that direction. A number of these larvae were taken 

 away in a corked tube in the hope of rearing the image: one cater- 

 pillar discovered the cork and entered it. This it riddled in all 

 directions and then constructed some arched tunnels on the surface. 

 After a period of about two months a small moth emerged from the 

 interior of the cork. It proved to be a species of Arbela, a genus 

 allied to the English Cossus, the goat moth. This small moth is 

 rather stout, has white hind wings and the pale front wings bear 

 two elongated brown spots. The third insect found on these trees 

 is the small beetle which occurs in all stages of its life history in the 



Mango fruit and which is so well known as not to require descrip- 

 tion again. It belongs to the family Curculionidae {weevils) and is 

 known as Cryptorhynchus mangiferae. 



The infested trees were of the species, Mangifera fcetida known 

 to Malays as Bachang or Lembachang. 



John Hewitt. 



RUBBER PHOTOGRAPHS 



The India-rubber Journal of July 31st, 1905, contains under the 

 International Rubber Planters Association notes, a series of 18 un- 

 usually fine photographs of Para Rubber and Ficus Elastica trees 

 taken by Mr. P. W. BURGESS in the Botanic Gardens and Lanadron 

 Estate. 1 he photographs show growth, methods of tapping the 

 crepe machine, and the prepared material, and form a most instruc- 

 tive series of photographs; explanatory notes are given with the 

 pictures. The pamphlet is on sale at the price of sixpence to mem- 

 bers of the association on application to the publishers. — Editor. 



