1.4 Kous. \^"'^-:^$^i' 



However, the author is an enthusiast, and desires all flower- 

 lovers to be wattle-growers. He gives cultural directions for 

 raising wattles from seeds and from cuttings, and concludes his 

 little book with a list of the twelve species which he considers 

 best suited for cultivation. These are : — A. decurrens (var. 

 normalis), Baileyana, dealbata. pycnantha, longifolia, prominens, 

 linearis, rupicola, leiophylla, glaucescens, podalyricefolia, and 

 vestita. A list of about forty common names will prove handy 

 to the wattle-lover, and we trust the publication will have a stimu- 

 lating effect upon the growers of our native trees and shrubs. 



A Pest Destructqr. — On the morning of 22nd November 

 last a land breeze on the east side of Port Phillip brought 

 myriads of the Rutherglen bug to the shore margin ; and after 

 a severe storm had passed over the bay from the north-west 

 the shores in the neighbourhood of Black Rock and for miles 

 on either side were in places painted black with the bodies of 

 this pest. The retreating tide left these and other insects, 

 including many beetles and moths, in piles, often several inches 

 thick. In the present case the storm, which sometimes 

 damages the farmer's prospects, turned out to be other than 

 an ill wind. From a small sample gathered, the following 

 insects were determined at the National Museum, and the 

 notes supplied by Mr. F. Spry : — 



'' Hemiptera. — Fam. Lygaeidae. — Nysviis vinitor, Bergrotli. 



" An insect that occurs at times in Victoria in countless 

 thousands. Commonly known as the Rutherglen bug, from 

 the locality where it was first recorded, damaging grapes. At 

 times it is a serious pest, attacking fruit and other trees, 

 sucking the sap of both flowers and fruit. 



" Lepidoptera. — Fam. Noctuidae. — Agrotis spina, Guen. 



" Called the Bogong Moth in Victoria, but there is some 

 doubt whether this species or one closely allied, called A. 

 infusa, should be so named. It occurs, however, abundantly 

 enough to be the moth in question. All around the sea-coast 

 it is found in immense numbers. The flowers of the tea-tree 

 seem to greatly attract them, the trees towards evening being 

 covered with them. 

 " DiPTERA- — Syrphtts (?) collatus, Walker. 



" One of the hovering flies, extremely abundant on the heath 

 grounds. 

 " CoLEOPTERA. — Fam. Carabidte. — Calosoma schayeri, Hope. 



" One of the predaceous beetles. Where abundant is most 

 useful in keeping down injurious insects of the field, such as 

 cut-worms. This year it has been very common at street 

 lamps around Melbourne." — F. Chapman. 



