April 3, 1920.] 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 



281 



under where I had taken them from. At about 9 inches deep I found one 

 •pupa, and from that to a foot deep, I got ten pupae and eight larvse. These 

 laiVse were full-fed, and they showed the hairy crown distinctly, like the one 

 l^rocured in September. Some of the pupse were well developed, and showed 

 the complete form of the adult, but the elytra were soft, and the markings 

 faint. One, however, had matured sufficiently to enable him to walk about 

 freely. I put some of these away and allowed them to develop. 



On 27th January another search resulted in six more larvae being secured,. 

 and four more pupae. One of these pupae could move its legs about freely. 

 Although some of these pupse had now assumed the adult form and were able 



Roots of young Apple Trees damaged by Dicky Rice (Pronat/'eus phytohjinus). 



to move about in the soil, their appearance suggested that they would not 

 emerge until the end of February. It appears to be one of the laws of nature 

 that these insects (which live chiefly on young shoots and foliage), should 

 emerge in conjunction with the starting of the two main growths in the year, 

 viz., the spring and the February growth. They attack the young shoots, 

 and in many cases eat the crown right out, and in others so damage the young^ 

 shoot that its growth is stunted and deformed. The young tender leaves, 

 are eaten half away, all round the edges, and the outer surface is chafed in 

 patches almost all over the leaf. The older leaves when attacked, are eaten 

 all round the edges, leaving them irregular and scalloped. The young fruit 

 is also attacked, and the outer surface nibbled off in irregular patches andl 



