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t*AKT 1.] Stebbing : Insect I’esls of the Himalayan Oaks. 
studies conducted personally in the fields the life histories so far as at 
present known of some of the more dangerous insect pests infesting the 
two Himalayan oaks, Quercus dilatata, known in the vernacular as the 
morn oak, and Quereus incana, known as the hdn oak. The insects dealt 
with are all save one members of the bark and wood boring families 
Buprestida, Ceramhycidce, Scolyti da 2 mA Platy;pidce, four of the most 
dangerous families of beetles to the forests of the country. 
The Buprestidse contain one species, Amorphosoma ? sp. 
The Cerambycidte three, lophosternus Imgelii, Xylotrechus smeei and 
Xylotreclms stelbingi, Gahan. 
The Scolytida, including the Platypida, contain o species : a new 
species of SyBiaerotrypes, which I call S. querci ; a new species of 
Bryocoetes which I name B. Hewetti after S^ir John Hewett, the life 
histories of which are both here described for the first time, a species of 
Chramesns, and the two Platypids Biapus impressus and Biapus sp. prox. 
impressus. 
The only other insect to be treated of here will be the newly discovered 
Scale insect Kermes liimalayensis^ Green, which was found killing the ban 
oaks above, and to the north of, Bhim Tab The discovery of this insect 
is of high interest both scientifically and economically. It is the first 
report of the existence of the genus Kermes in India, whilst owing to 
its method of attack and great powers of rapid increase the scale must 
be regarded as a serious pest. 
As regards other known pests of these oaks I have already detailed in 
Bepar tment at Notes* idoti life hi story of the leaf-roller and defoliating 
weevil Apoderus incana^ Steb,, whilst Mr. B. O. Coventry, I.F.S., in an 
excellent paper in the Indian Forester, dealt fully with the life history of 
the ban acorn weevil tunneller Calandra sculpturata, Gyll., which is 
responsible for so little natural regeneration of this tree being found in 
some parts of the Western Himalayas. 
Investigations have also been made into several twig and leaf galls 
made upon these two oaks by as yet undetermined hj'menopterous flies, 
probably Chalcids. 
Little is kmwn at present on the subject of the lepidopterous defolia- 
ting caterpillar pests of these two oaks. 
•Slebbir-g, Dtparirntnial Botes on Insects that affect Forestry, Yol. I, p, i8y. 
‘\lndian Forester, Yol. XXYIII, ISo. 10 (November, 1902). 
