1906.] 27 



golden or other metallic markings, but these disappear entirely in 

 dried specimens, the insects fading to a uniform dull-brown tint ; 

 and the beautifully delicate green tint of one or two species found 

 on the " wattles " is equally fugitive. 



Many other native trees and shrubs yield their quota of interest- 

 ing Coleoptera. Thus on the " Sassafras " in the Illawarra and else- 

 where are found the beautiful golden-yellow ladybird Tliea qalbida, 

 Muls., a Stenus (coeruleus,Wa.t.) of a most brilliant deep metallic-green 

 colour, and a fine large shining black Apion, probably A. aJhertisi, 

 Pasc. ; while a handsome nodose brown weevil of considerable size 

 and very stout build, Amisalliis tiiherosus, Boh., is obtained not rarely 

 I by beating Clematis aristata, R. Br., in blossom. On the " Port 

 Jackson Fig " {Ficus australis, AVilld.), a very pretty little black and 

 white species of Balaninus {amoenus, F.) is common in early summer ; 

 and by splitting open the small twigs of this tree, Hylesinus porcatus^ 

 Chap., may be obtained freely enough. The conspicuous golden-yellow 

 cones of flowers of the curious Banksias (locally termed " honey- 

 suckle"), though full of honey and attractive to many insects, do 

 not appear to be particularly so to Coleoptera, a few weevils 

 {Myossita, &c.) being all that I have ever found on them. One of 

 the finest of the Australian Buprestidce^ however, Gyria imperialis, 

 Don., is exclusively attached to the Banksia, and passes its early 

 stages in the solid wood of the tree, often inflicting a large amount 

 of damage.* The perfect beetle appears about the middle of 

 November, and from its large size and brilliant deep yellow colour 

 banded with black, is a most conspicuous object, either flying in the 

 hot sunshine, or basking, as it loves to do, on the foliage of the dwarf 

 Banksias ; it does not appear to be attracted by flowers of any kind. 

 Carpophagus hanhsicd^ Macl., also occurs on the leaves of these trees, 

 I The '* she-oaks " {Casuarina spp.) produce, besides many small but 

 interesting weevils, &c., three noteworthy species of B upr est idee ; 

 Germarica casuarince, Blkb., a little linear bronzy-black fellow, barely 

 a line in length, the smallest member of the family with which I am 

 acquainted ; Paracephala murina, Thoms., a cylindrical dull-bronzy 

 Agrilus-\ikQ form, which may be bred from large hard woody galls on 

 the twigs of the plant ; and a very beautiful little yellow-spotted 

 'deep blue species of the curious genus Astrceus. This latter insect, 

 when beaten into the umbrella, skips about actively much after the 

 fashion of an Orchesia, a habit unique among the Buprestidce, as far 

 as my experience goes. 



(To he continued). 



* Cf. French, " Handbook of the Destructive Insects of Victoria," Part III, p. 67, pi. XLIV 

 figs. 1—4. Melbourne, 1900. 



G 3 



