94 MR. R. W. JACK ON THE LARV.E 



The food of (t. ?equale consists mainly of decaying vege- 

 table matter, hut they will also eat into certain seeds, notably 

 wheat. This stage is of little economic importance in 

 Rhodesia, as it is confined to the winter months. The beetles 

 may do great damnge to maize seed in dry land and to newly 

 planted tobacco. They connnonly eat into the stems of 

 sncculent plants. 



Life-historfj. — The beetles emerge mainly at the com- 

 mencement of the rains, but do not lay eggs until March- 

 April, continuing, with decreasing fertility, throughout the 

 winter. The larvre feed up during the winter and pupate 

 just before the next rains. The adults show considerable 

 longevity, specimens having been kept for more than twelve 

 months in confinement. 



G. feqnale abounds chiefly on the diorite. being relatively 

 scarce on the sand veld. 



{h) G. simplex (Plate IV. fig. 3; Plate V. fig. 3; 

 Plate VI. fig. 3). 



Ocum. — Dimensions not recorded. Form similar to that 

 of G. .Tquale. 



Larva. — Greatest length not recorded. Bred specimens 

 up to 15 mm. more slender than G. fc quale of a similar 

 length. (*olour dark brown, some specimens appearing 

 banded for same reason as G. JX3 quale, Type No. 2. General 

 appearance similar to G. iiequale, Type No. 2. The femur 

 of the anterior legs of this species is stouter in [)roportion 

 to its length than that of G. jcquale. Type No. 2, but the 

 two species resemble each other in the length of the tibia 

 and the comparative smallness of the tarsal claw. The 

 number of spines on the inner margin of the femur and 

 trochanter and anterior legs cannot be relied upon altogether 

 to distinguish species as they are not constant, although 

 their limits of variability appear to be narrow. The 

 specimens of tliis species in our collection show the formula 

 1, 3, 2, 2 : the extra s[)ine on the trochanter is thus a point 

 of difference, if constant, between the species and the second 

 type of G. requale larva. The spines on the margin of the 

 anal segment vary from four to six (2 to 3 a side). 



