40 ON THE LIFE-HISTORIES OF AUSTRALIAN COLEOPTERA, 



The larva feeds upon the foliage of Acacia decurrens^ and is 

 often very plentiful, but difficult to see on account of its protec- 

 tive colouration. The specimens bred were obtained in the 

 Maitland district, but the insect has a very wide range over 

 N. S. Wales and Victoria. 



The beetle is always found on this Acacia ; the head, thorax, 

 and elytra are dark orange-yellow, deeply punctured ; a broad 

 parallel stripe of rich metallic green on either side. All the 

 members of this genus, as far as I know, are found on this or 

 other closely allied species of Acacia. 



Episcaphula pictipennis. Crotch, Cist. Ent. xiii. 1876, Revis. 

 p. 35. 



Larva pale yellow with black markings on the upper portion of 

 segments, legs long, terminating in a sharp tarsal claw ; mouth 

 parts ferruginous, jaws small, head dull yellow, smooth, shining, 

 with four or five black dots above the antennae, rounded in front, 

 square at apex ; thoracic and abdominal segments dull yellow, the 

 centre of each covered with a transverse elongate square blackish- 

 biown patch covering nearly the whole of segment, a parallel dull 

 yellow band interrupting them down the centre, broadest and 

 lightest behind the head, blending with the brown towards the 

 apex, anal segment surmounted by two small black spines ; all 

 the under side pale yellow. Pupa pale yellow with black eyes, 

 and the portion of back black in larva replaced with patches of 

 small black spines. 



The larva feeds upon a small soft fungus growing on fences, in 

 which it also undergoes its transformations ; it is common in the 

 neighbourhood of Sydney. 



The beetle has the antennae and head black, with a broad 

 reddish-yellow bar between the eyes ; thorax reddish-brown, 

 darkest on the margins, with an irregular dark brown oval patch 

 on either side ; elytra deep brown with fine parallel striae carrying 

 fiue punctures, an irregular star-shaped creamy-white patch on 

 either shoulder ; a crescent-shaped patch, creamy-white, about 

 two-thirds down, and forming two large oval patches at the apex 



