72 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTOEIA : 



first perceived on tlie tops of the braiiclies, tlie supposi- 

 tion being that the eggs are de]3osite(l near the stem of 

 the tree, and just below the surface of the soil. 



This beetle being a native it has unfortunately a very 

 wide range, its natural food Ijeing wattles, gums, &c., and 

 on these trees it is often to be found in large numbers. 

 A few years since Mr. H. King, the well-known fruit- 

 grower and present lessee of the Fair view Gardens, Fyans- 

 ford, near Geelong, observed large numbers of his apple 

 and pear trees to be dying off from the top branches down- 

 wards, and was quite puzzled to make out the cause. 

 Upon further consideration, however, it struck him that 

 the roots of the trees must have been attacked by some 

 kind of grub or borer. Digging down to the roots of the 

 tree, he discovered that the larger roots (few, if any, 

 nearer to the surface than 8 inches) had been tunnelled 

 by an insect. Specimens of the grub were secured and 

 forwarded to me, but, in the absence of the perfect insect, 

 I was unable to do more than to hazard an opinion as to the 

 group to which the insect belonged. Some time after 

 this, Mr. King wrote, inviting me to his orchard, as I was 

 anxious to see the grub at work, also if possi])le to find 

 the jDcrfect insect. Mr. King, with the assistance of his 

 men, very soon rooted up several good-sized apple trees, 

 the final result being that both grubs and sj^ecimens of 

 the perfect insect were taken from below the surface of 

 the soil. Others in the perfect stage were taken on the 

 l^ranches of some small peach trees, and thus we are 

 quite positive as to the identity of the insect. 



Mr. Crawford describes another kind of Curculio of the 

 same genus, which in South Australia attacks apple-roots 

 in precisely the same manner; but the latter species, 

 Leptops robusta^ has not, so far as I am aware, been found 

 in this colony. 



The facts which have lately been brought under our 

 notice regarding the native insects leaving their natural 

 food, and adapting themselves to introduced fruits, should 

 cause us to seriously consider whether the assistance of 

 the Conservator of Forests should not be invited, for the 



