30 ON THE LIFE-IIISTORIES OF AUSTRALIAN COLEOPTERA, 



on each segment ; anal and segment preceding it smooth and 

 cylindrical, covered with reddish hairs, the tip of the anal one 

 ornamented with five stout spines, the first large, followed by two 

 pairs of smaller ones. 



The larva attacks the stems of Eriostemoa lanceolatus just 

 above the ground, feeding upwards and eating out the centre ; at 

 intervals of about an inch it gnaws a small hole through the bark, 

 thus leaving a regular row of holes behind, which indicate its 

 whereabouts ; as it becomes full grown it crawls downwards, 

 excavating several tunnels in the larger roots, pupating in the 

 last of them. It also feeds on the stems of Boronia innnata in a 

 similar manner. Mr. C. French, of Melbourne, informs me that 

 in Victoria the larva generally feeds upon the stems of the young 

 saplings of Banksia integrifolia, but he has bred it also from 

 stems of Acacia longifolia (var. A. sophorcej, both growing on the 

 coast. 



With us the larvse can be found in the Eriostemon bushes from 

 May to December. I have taken them in all stages, as well as 

 the perfect beetle, about June in the vicinity of Sydney. The 

 beetle is not found at large until the early pait of November, and 

 is then invariably taken on the Leptospermum bushes. It is a 

 very distinct species, the bright shining bare patch in the middle 

 on either side of the elytra, the rest of which, together with the 

 head, thorax, and legs, is densely covered with a creamy pubescence, 

 gives it a very graceful appearance. 



It has a wide range over N. S. AVales ; I have seen specimens 

 from Sydney, Newcastle, and Wilcannia ; it is very variable in 

 size and the pubescence often varies from [)ale creamy to reddish- 

 brown. 



Mr. Best says he has never seen any specimens from inland, 

 and that it feeds on the common wattle (Acacia decurrens ?). 



Pachydissus serious, Newman, Ent. Mag. v. p. 494. 



Larva dull white, stout, with broad head and small ferruginous 

 legs; mouth parts and jaws black, head smooth and shining, with 

 ferruginous band at base, the apex flat, finely striated ; thoracic 



