23 
.vhite blotch on the upper wing. The moth is nocturnal hatching 
out from the chrysalis after dark, and coming to light. 
This species appears to be a form of Ophiusa Melicerte a widely 
distributed moth, and known to feed on castor-oil as well as other 
plants. The form however is darker brawn and less red than the 
Ceylon form, figured in Moore's Lepidoptera of Ceylon. 
It seems to be less common here than the allied O. Serva which 
is rather lighter colored, and is very abundant at light. Should this 
caterpillar appear in sufficient numbers to be destructive to any 
plantations of castor oil, it would be comparatively easy to catch it 
by shaking the plants over a net or cloth, while the moth might be 
disposed of by lights over water or by the ordinary moth traps. 
REPORT ON BLUMEA BALSAMIFERA 
FROM SELANGOR, 
By Prof, W. R. Dunstan. 
'I his consignment of the dried stem and leaves of Blumea 
balsamifera was received from the Assistant Superintendent of 
Forests and Gardens, Penang, and is referred to in letters dated 
28th May and 1 6th October, 1902. 
The plant is slated lobe widely distributed in the Federated 
Malay States and the present sample was collected in the State of 
Selangor, ft yields a variety of camphor which is largely used by 
the Chinese, under the name of “ Ngai Camphor”, in medicine and 
for perfuming the finer qualities of Chinese ink. 
" Ngai Camphor ” consists essentially of laevo-bormol a substance 
closely resembling and nearly related to ordinary camphor, which 
it could no doubt replace for many purposes if obtainable in large 
quantities at a comparatively small cost. The present consignment 
of Blumea balsamifera however furnished only a minute quantity 
(0.05 per cent) of this substance which could not therefore be profit- 
ably extracted. It is possible that the yield of the camphor obtain- 
able from Blumea balsamifera may be dependent upon the stao-e 
at which the plant is collected, and it would be worth while to 
determine the amounts of “ Ngai Camphor ” obtainable from the 
plant at various stages in its growth. For this purpose separate 
consignments of about ten pounds each of the leaves, collected at 
the commencement, middle and end of the season respectively, and 
of the Bowers should be forwarded to the Imperial Institute for 
further investigation. 
These samples should, if possible, be sent in hermetically closed 
vessels. It is possible that some of the volatile camphor may have 
escaped from tne consignment now reported on during its transit 
to this country, 
3 /y 
WYNDHAM R. DUNSTAN, 
