38 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



forth first, then these latter were used to help set 

 the remainder of the body free from the old dress. 

 The insect looked damp and limp in the new skin, 

 but this soon became firm and hard. 



Another phasmid we had under observation de- 

 posited 5 or 6 eggs. Great numbers of the green 

 phasmids described often attack areas of well-tim- 

 bered country, denuding it of leaves. They seem 

 to be partial to the Eucalyptus- The name ''Lau- 

 rie's Ringbarkers" arose from the fact that a few 

 hundred acres belonging to a squatter named 

 Laurie were rendered leafless, and even the bark 

 of the trees was not exempt from their ravages. 



It is hard to devise any means of dealing with 

 a pest of this nature. No doubt they have a few 

 parasitic enemies and birds, and lizards probably 

 devour them. 



A large greyish brown stick-like insect (Acro- 

 phylla titan) used to be very common around Sydney 

 before so much of our scrub country was cleared. 

 It was popularly known as the "Walking Stick" 

 Insect. 



The female measures about 8 inches from head to 

 tip of abdomen. 



The front wings are blue black. The hind wings 

 are brown, shaded to rose pink at the base. 



The male is slighter in build than the female. 



Another striking member of this family is the 

 "Green Leaf" Insect (E.vtatosoiua tiaratum), Plate 

 6, Fig. 2). with leaf-like expansions on the legs, 

 and with the end of the abdomen also flattened 

 out so as to look like a leaf. When at rest on the 



