96 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA : 



the depth of about 2 or even 3 feet from the surface. 

 In some soils they may go deeper, in others shallower, 

 but where these were taken out the soil was very firm 

 below the trees. 



Mr. Thiele has also sent me round pieces or balls of 

 the clayey loam taken from near the tree, and from which 

 the head of the perfect female can be seen protruding, 

 and in a similar position the larva also. This convinces 

 me more than ever that suffocation, combined with judi- 

 cious root-pruning, are the best means to be adopted 

 for their extermination when below ground. 



To growers, the fact of seeing one's trees dying off one 

 after another, from no apparent cause, is no doubt most 

 discouraging ; but now that we have a better knowledge 

 of the economy and life-history of this insect we may 

 reasonably hope to be able, by increased vigilance in 

 picking off and burning the infected leaves between 

 which the eggs are deposited — and which, after any one 

 has once seen the illustrations, they will have no diffi- 

 culty whatever in recognising both the insects and the 

 appearance of the leaves on which the eggs, oval in shape, 

 white in colour, and covered with a white silky film (as 

 shown in Fig. 4), are deposited — to cope with the evil. 

 Having in view these facts, which have been so recently 

 brought to light regarding the life-history of the beetle, 

 and the somewhat singular circumstances of their having 

 left their natural food, and, unfortunately for us, adapted 

 themselves to our introduced fi^uits, should cause us to 

 seriously consider whether the assistance of the Forest 

 Branch of the Mines Department should not be invited to 

 co-operate with this branch of the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, also with growers in the event of any serious 

 inroads of native insects taking place — that is, where 

 forest or wattle reserves are in close proximity to either 

 orchards or vineyards. This could, it is thought, be 

 partly accomplished by obtaining permission from the 

 former Department to destroy any native tree which, on 

 examination, was found to be badly infested with noxious 

 insects of any kind, and which, as in the case of this 



