16 THE EEPOET OF THE No. 311 



very much injured by the attacks of the moth Pinipestis zimmermani, Grote. 

 These insects were so plentiful during the past season that large masses of resin, 

 exuded from the larva burrows, were to be seen on almost every tree. Since the 

 larvae pupate in these xesin masses it should not be a difficult matter to check the 

 ravages of this pest. So far as my observations go, our native pines appear to be 

 immune from attack. 



After the extremely hot week of the past summer the larvae of the Lace- 

 winged Flies (Chrysopa) were unusually abundant. These little creatures forced 

 themselves on my attention first by inserting their mandibles into my neck under 

 the collar. The swellings produced by the wounds were of about the same size as 

 those caused by the stings of mosquitoes, but were more troublesome and of longer 

 duration. It occurred to me on several occasions that the irritation caused by the 

 bites of the lace-wings must just about balance their usefulness as destroyers of 

 injurious insects; An observation, however, made in the grounds of the Normal 

 School inclined me to regard the Chrysopa larvae in a rather more favourable light. 

 The trees in the grounds had been encircled by rings of some sticky substance, pro- 

 ducing an effect that might easily create the impression that the Minister of Edu- 

 cation and his colleagues had been sugaring for moths on a large scale. Numbers 

 of larvae and small insects of different species were skirting these impassable 



Fig. 9. Lace-wing Fly Fig. lo. Larvffi and 



{Chrysopa) and eggs. eggs of Chrysopa. 



barriers on the trees and among the bewildered masses the Chrysopa larvae were 

 having good hunting. A Tussock moth larva that was squirming in a rather 

 unusual way was found to have two of these insect snapping- turtles clinging to it; 

 one had secured a firm hold at the front of the head, just above the line of the 

 eyes; while the other had gripped the side of the body near the posterior end. A 

 desire to secure the antagonists as specimens made the combat an undecided one, 

 but the lace-wings certainly appeared to be getting the better of the argument. 

 So firm was the hold of the one that had attached itself to the head that the 

 mandibles did not relax when the combatants were dropped into a beaker contain- 

 ing chloroform. It seems worthy of note that two Chrysopa larvae should attack 

 the same Tussock larva. Did it indicate preconcerted action on the part of the 

 attackers? Or are we to suppose that the mentality of these larvs has reached 

 the stage where the value they set on anything is in proportion to the extent that 

 it is being sought after by others? Whatever may be the explanation it seems to 

 have a close parallel in the incident related by Sir Ernest Shackleton. He states 

 that a very little experience taught his dogs that a penguin was more than a match 

 for them one at a time and that they must unite their forces. In future attacks, 

 while one dog threatened the bird from the front another would make the real 

 attack from the rear, and after the adoption of these tactics the dogs had to be 

 closely watched to prevent them killing large numbers of the birds. It augurs 

 well for the success of the Chrysopce against the Tussocks that they have adopted 



