ARBELA TETRAONIS. 443 
ree PE Nee PROC yy OM Baye 84 0 

outwards from these infested areas and, in course of time, infects 
the whole plantation.* 
Summing up, therefore, we see that the damage is done 
entirely by the caterpillar and that, as far as present observations 
have shown, this latter feeds entirely on the bark, only entering 
the wood of the tree to change tothe chrysalis state. 
eer te ere Pe ei AE i og ee ey Le 
* Ithas been already stated that the writer visited Chatrapur in July 
1903. In his paper previously alluded to, Mr. Fischer tells the history of 
the progeny of the moths whose empty pupa cases were seen so plentifully 
in July. It is a most remarkable instance of a somewhat rare occurrence— 
the swarming in large numbers of one of the wood -boring, and usually far 
from common, Species of moths. Considering the rareness of this Arbela in 
collections Mr. Fischer’s observations are little short of wonderful. Stating 
that the larvz from che eggs laid by the June-July moths commenced to issue 
at the end of August, he continued : —“ It soon became very obvious that 
this fresh attack was far more intense than that of the previous year and had 
Spread centrifugally from the site of the original attack !’” The curative 
measures suggested by me that boys should be put on to search for the 
covered ways and take out the insects from them and kill them were at 
once put into force. Mr Fischer wrote, :—Almost from the beginning the 
impossibility of destroying all the larvee became evident, as the flexibility 
of the topmost branches prevented their being climbed. The destruction 
was, however, persisted in for a time in the hopes of making a considerable 
impression on the invading hordes. . . . When,earlyin October, after the 
destruction of over 63,000 larvz no appreciable diminution in numbers had 
Feen effected, the urgency for more drastic measures became apparent. 
Sanction was obiained to depart from the provisions of the working plan by 
abandoning the felling of the year’s coupe and cutting out all infected trees 
wherever tound throughout the plantations.” The poles cut out were trans- 
ported toa neighbouring lake and immersed for several days. Owing to 
want of labour some difficulty was experienced in getting this work done 
quickly, so that some of the iarvaz may have got back on to standing trees 
at night. In all about 23,000 trees were felled. It was hoped that this 
action had stamped out the attack. “In August 1904, however, the first 
covered ways of the new generation were observed. At first this was put 
down to a few trees attacked last year being overlooked, but this was soon 
seen not to account for the entire fresh outbreak.’”? A patch of Casuarina 
of about an acre in extent, belonging to villagers, is situated close to the plan= 
tations, and this was overlooked in 1903 though attacked by the Arbela. 
Mr. Fischer appears to think that the 1904 attack spread from this into the 
Government plantations and he is probably correct as the moths probably 
flew across the small intervening space to lay their eggs on the trees in the 
large forests. The new attack, he stated, was not, however, very severe and 
was soon restricted in its spread: and that this was so was undoubtedly due 
to his prompt action the year previously. 
H 2 
