6 
Indian Forest Records. 
[ Yol. YII 
were exposed to a depth of 2-3 feet. In all cases the roots were found to 
be diseased. 
The disease appears to be produced by a parasitic fungus, but no 
fructifications were found. The symptoms are evident in a rotten condi¬ 
tion of the tap-root and main side-roots which is most marked just below 
soil level. As a rule the sliulas (pneumatophores) are rotten within a 
circle round the base of the tree, the radius of which increases with the 
progress of the disease. The deeper portions of the tap-root and the 
outer portions of the shallow side-roots frequently show no sign of 
unhealthiness except in advanced stages, when a slight discoloration of 
the inner bark is visible. The dead trees usually occur in groups of 5 or 6, 
close together and of various ages corresponding to girths of 9 inches to 
3 feet. The rot includes the whole of the heart-wood and is so sharply 
limited at the root collar that trees of two feet girth break off at soil 
level when pushed by the hand. 
It is therefore concluded that the diseased condition of the roots of 
the sundri, which is concomitant with, and possibly resultant from, a 
waterlogged soil, is the primary cause of the death of the tree and that 
the borers are of secondary occurrence. There are no signs of an 
epidemic spreading from the marginal zone of diseased trees to the 
interior of the islands of forest. 
The Borer fauna of Sundri. The principal species found boring into 
Heritiera Fomes in the Sunderbans are as follows :— 
1. ANTHEIBIDAK 
2. BOSTRYCHIDAE 
3. BUPRESTIDAE 
4. CEEMIBYCIDAE 
5. LAMIIDAE . 
6. PLATYPODIDAE . 
7. SCOLYTIDAE 
and. 
SIRICIDAE 
. Ozotomerus maculosus , Pern 
. Schistoceros malayqnus, Leslie. 
. Chrysobothris sp. 
. Ccresium zeylanicum > White, Derolus 
discicullis, Gahan, Diortlius cinereus , 
White, Gelonaetha hirta, Fainn., 
Macrotoma plagiata, Waterh. 
. Glenea sp. 
. Crossotarsus squamulatus , Chap., Crossotar- 
sus saundersi Chap., Platypus uncinatus , 
Bldfd. var nov. 
. Progenius riehlii , Eichh. 
Xyleborus schlichii, Steb. 
. Xypliydria sp. 
As regards relative abundance, the species of Crossotarsus, Platypus, 
Xyleborus, Gelonaetha and Chrysobothris are the most numerous. 
Of the above listed species, data are recorded in this note only on 
Macrotoma plagiata, Waterh. 
[ ioa ] 
