110 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



might, with advantage, be tried so as to prevent the egg- 

 laying. I can with confidence recommend the steam 

 sprayer for grubs in avenue trees, as elms, &c., as 

 when the steam is applied, the chemicals being ejected in 

 vapour form, the grubs will very soon be seen tumbling 

 out of the holes in the tree ; that is when they have suffi- 

 cient strength to do so, as it often happens that by a direct 

 application the grubs are killed outright. This large 

 moth has, so far as I am aware, not yet attacked fruit 

 trees ; that it may do so is quite within the bounds of 

 possibility, and whilst recognising the fruit industry as 

 one of the greatest importance, it must not be forgotten 

 that there are other industries which require information 

 such as the present we trust will afford, so that allusion 

 to these timber-feeding insects, following the procedure of 

 similar works published in America and elsewhere, are 

 in my opinion fully justified. When one comes to ex- 

 amine the wattles grown for bark, and particularly the 

 older specimens of which there are now unfortunately 

 very few to be seen near Melbourne, it will be found that 

 the great majority of these useful trees are hopelessly 

 damaged, chiefly owing to the ravages of the insects in 

 question, it being well known to field entomologists that 

 there are few other trees which contain so many internal 

 depredators, which when taking into consideration the 

 bitter and astringent nature of this tree is most extra- 

 ordinary. The wattle grubs have, as a rule, very few 

 parasitic enemies, although after having died as often 

 happens in the wood, the bodies will be found to be en- 

 veloped in a white leather looking fungus ; but which, so 

 far as my observations lead me to suppose, occur only 

 after deiith. In New South Wales aucl Queensland are 

 some huge moths of this genus, one Z. Macleayi being 

 nearly V) inches across the wings ; the beautiful Leto 

 Staceyi being still larger; both doing immense damage to 

 the Eucalyptus inside of which they feed. It may be 

 mentioned that in the early days of the colony, and when 

 wattles around Melbourne were plentiful, the larvae of 



