322 
Carbonic  Acid 
Silica  ... 
-i-C'alcium  F^hosphate 
: -.Calcium  Carbonate 
1-95 
o.io 
84.90 
4-43 
A CASTILLOA  BORER. 
Among  some  young  trees  of  Castilloa  elastica,  about  15  feet  tall, 
in  the  Botanic  Gardens  Singapore^  was  one  in  which  the  top  died 
and  dried  completely  up.  On  breaking  this  dead  portion  up  it  was 
found  to  contain  grubs  and  an  adult  beetle,  belonging  to  the  family  ' 
of  Longicornia  which  includes  some  of  the  most  destructive  borers 
in  timber.  The  beetle,  appears  to  be  Epepseotes  luscuSy  of  wide 
distribution  in  the  Eastern  Archipelago.  The  grubs  are  when  full 
grown  about  an  inch  and  a half  long,  legless,  white,  with  a hard 
horny  brown  head,  quite  similar  to  the  larvae  of  other  longicorns.  It 
burrows  in  the  wood  of  the  Castilloa  near  the  pith  cavity,  going 
vertically  up  or  down  the  stem,  but  I found  traces  of  its  work  also 
in  the  central  pith  of  the  younger  part  of  the  tree.  The  perfect 
beetle  is  three  quarters  to  an  inch  long  and  about  J inch  wide 
across  the  back.  The  antennae,  ij  inch  long  and  slender.  The 
lowest  joint  globular,  and  sunk  in  a raised  socket.  The  next  joint 
dilated  upwards,  rather  thick.  The  remaining  nine  joints  are  more 
slender,  and  all  but  the  terminal  one  thickened  at  the  tip.  They 
are  black  with  fine  greyish  fur.  The  head  is  broad  and  short,  mottled 
grey,  with  patches  of  yellow  fur  round  the  eyes  and  on  the  cheeks 
and  neck.  The  eyes  are  large  semicircular  surrounding  the  base 
of  the  antennae,  black,  with  a fiery  red  glint.  The  thorax  is  rounded 
and  margined  rather  short,  grey  with  a central  vertical  bar  of  yellow 
fur  and  a row  of  spots  of  yellow  fur  on  each  side.  There  is  a short 
blunt  process  on  each  side.  The  elytra  are  oblong  about  J inch  ’ 
long,  blunt  and  slightly  excavate  at  the  tips,  brown  mottled  with 
yellow,  and  punctate  all  over:  on  each  shoulder  is  a round  black 
velvety  spot.  The  scutellum  is  semi-ovate,  yellow.  The  under 
side  of  the  body  is  covered  with  very  fine  fawn-coloured  down.  \ 
The  legs  are  rather  long  and  grey.  f 
The  beetle  appears  to  fly  by  night  as  many  of  these  longicornia  ^ 
do.  I have  taken  it  at  rest  in  the  day  time  on  the  leaves  of  the  T 
Castilloa,  and  in  the  morning  have  found  it  on  the  roads  and  walls. 
It  is  evidently  a common  insect  here  and  does  not  coniine  its  attacks  ii 
to  Castilloas  but  at  present  1 have  not  traced  it  to  any  other  tree.  I 
One  tree  which  had  been  attacked  was  saved  by  passing  a wire  f 
down  the  hole  made  by  the  beetle  grub,  and  pouring  Jcye’s  fluid  1 
down  it.  '-'rhis  brought  all  the  grubs  out,  and  the  tree  recovered.  I 
H.  N.  RIDLEY,  f 
