i»05.] 233 



it is also exceedingly destructive to the woodwork of buildings in the 

 subui'bs of Sydney, and has at times wrought great damage in the 

 city itself. Mosquitoes and other Diptera, while sufficiently numerous 

 and annoying, do not constitute so great a pest as in the more tropical 

 regions of Australia, though the " sand-flies " in the National Park 

 are particularly venomous, as I have more than once found to my 

 cost. The Neuropfera and Orthoptern abound in species and indi- 

 viduals, but do not call for further remark, except perhaps the rare 

 and beautiful species of Psi/chopsis in the first-named Order ; and 

 a noticeable feature of the Entomology of the " bush " is the abund- 

 ance of large forms of Bin f tides (Panesthia, Poli/zosferia, &c.). 

 These are found under dead leafy boughs, stones, and logs, and 

 especially in decayed wood, which they reduce to a loose fibrous 

 state ; nearly all of them emit a very disagreeable odour, and a 

 species of the last-mentioned genus (I believe P. ferruffinea,\V Si\k.) 

 is certainly the most evil-smelling insect that I have ever encountered. 

 It is an apterous species about the size of our familiar kitchen 

 cockroach, of a rich glossy reddish-chestnut colour ; and when it is 

 revealed by turning up a log, it disdains to run away, but, like the 

 skunk, elevates its hinder end from which it protrudes two bright 

 orange-coloured vesicles, and emits an intolerably rank and pene- 

 trating odour that can be easily perceived at a distance of three or 

 four yards. For my part, I could never summon up enough resolution 

 to handle so repulsive a creature. 



Some very pretty species of ForficuUdce occur under bark, and 

 a large pallid earwig with largely developed forceps, very nearly allied 

 to our Lahidura riparia, L., if indeed not a form of that insect, is 

 common in sandy places near the shore. The giant of the tribe, 

 Anisolabis colossm, De Borm., is not uncommon under damp logs in 

 the Tllawarra district. Adult examples vary much in size, the largest 

 specimens sometimes exceeding two inches in length. When dis- 

 turbed it turns up its tail in a very threatening manner, and it can 

 give so severe a pinch with its anal forceps as to break the skin of 

 the finger and draw blood. The bushmen seem to regard it with 

 much dread, evidently looking on it as a kind of scorpion. Our 

 familiar Forficula auricularia, L., does not appear to have reached the 

 Sydney district, at any rate I have never seen it there, though it is 

 abundant and fully naturalized at Hobart and other places in 



Tasmania. 



{To be continued). 



