454 JoKniaL of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo July, 191 i. 



During January, as far as could be discovered, only female beetles- 

 were parasitized, but later on, as this enemy of the root borer increased in 

 numbers, the male beetle attracted their attention, and was completely eaten 

 out by these ravenous creatures, leaving the abdomen a mere shell. 



The number of parasitic larvae contained in a beetle varies, but last 

 season averaged 25. so that the orchardist who kills a parasitized beetle 

 is at the same time destroying, on an average, 25 parasites. In order to 

 give this friend of the orchardist an opportunity of determining its value, 

 it would be advisable, instead of killing the root borer beetles, to place 

 them in boxes having perforated zinc ends, to allow the parasites free- 

 ingress to and egress from the box. This at the same time prevents damage 

 being done by unparasitized beetles. 



The imago form of this parasite has l:)een reared in October and also 

 in March. Those appearing in March left the beetle as larvae on the 25th 

 February, and had all pupated by the next day, the perfect insect appear- 

 ing on the nth March, a matter of only thirteen days. 



Numerous specimens were submitted to Mr. C. French, Government 

 Entomologist, for his opinion; and as Mr. Arthur M. Lea, Government 

 Entomologist of Tasmania, is regarded as a specialist on the CurcidionidcT. 

 specimens of the parasitized beetles were forwarded to him. In reply, a 

 letter was received from Mr. Lea saving : — 



The parasites of Laptops are certainly Tiymcnofterous, as from the specimens 

 you sent over I have now about 100 cocoons. 



Mr. Lea then suggested that, as in all probability this parasite was- 

 new to science, specimens should be forwarded to Dr. Howard, Chief of 

 the Entomological Bureau at Washington, U.S.A., for naming and descrip- 

 tion. This was done by Mr. Lea. In further correspondence he writes : — 



I think it is almost certain that the parasite is a new species, and it is certainly 

 one of the mo.5t important that we have in Australia. It was for this reason I sug- 

 gested its being sent to Dr. Howard. 



The discovery of this parasite may prove of the greatest value to fruit- 

 growers generally. It beho\-es all interested in the eradication of the Root 

 Borer to study this pha.se of treatment, and endeavour to assist the parasite 

 in multiphing and increase the opportunities it may ha\e to carry out its 

 usefulness. 



The following correspondence, together with the description of the 

 insect from Dr. Howard, is of interest, not only to the growers of this 

 State, but to those w^ho follow up this line of study and investigation. The 

 writer is indebted to Mr. Lea for the outline drawing of the parasite, 

 which is here reproduced. 



Dr. Howard writes : — 

 I am now able tc give you the determination of the parasite of Leptops. Mr. H. 

 L. Viereck, of this Bureau, has been studying it, and has described it as Perilifns 

 leftofsi, n.sf. I enclose manuscript description, which you are at liberty to publish- 

 in connexion with illustrations and any matter you may care to add to it. 



Perilitus leftofsi.^ Viereck, n.sf 



Female. — Length, 2.5mm. Compared with P. secalis, Haliday, as described by 

 Marshall, this differs as follows : — Mid and hind legs beyond coxas more or less 

 blackish, prothorax and mesothorax mostly castaneous ; abdomen bevond the petiole 

 mostly black or blackish, basally somewhat caslaneous in the middle ; wings tinged 

 with brown, veins and stigma brownish, tegul^^ rather testaceous ; first tergal segment 

 nearly as long as the remaining portion ot the tergum, mostly smooth and polished, - 

 postpetiole nearly as long as the petiole proper, and almost parallel sided, owing to 

 the prominently produced spiracles, petiole proper on each side near the middle with 

 a shallow-fossa, appearing to be due to the aciculation of the tegument at the same 

 point, sheaths of the ovipositor blackish throughout. 



