138 Davey, English and Japanese Neivts in Victoria, [yy.r'xxxi. 



purpose, as the eggs are better hidden, and greater oppor- 

 tunities for escape are afforded to the newly-hatched 

 larvae. 



The larva, on breaking loose from the t^^, is rather a help- 

 less creature for some days, and spends most of its time 

 lying on the bottom of the pond, or clinging to some plant 

 or other object in the water. It is at this time that great 

 numbers of them are eaten by the adults of their own and 

 other species, who are most diligent in their search after 

 them. 



When disturbed the larva makes a dash away for a short 

 distance before settling down again . Aquatic beetles and their 

 larv?e, bugs, and small fish also feed largely upon them at 

 this stage, but the newt larvae soon gain strength and swim- 

 ming powers, and with greater ease escape their enemies, 

 and can more safely emerge from the cover of the water- 

 plants into more open water. Their growth is now rapid. 

 The length of time taken by M . cristatus to mature from 

 hatching to the lung-breathing state in Victoria varies from 

 03 to 108 days. 



NOTES ON THE COLEOPTERA OF NORTH-WESTERN 



VICTORIA. 



Part VI.* — Nitidulid.e, Trogositid^, Colydid^. 



By J. C. GouDiE. 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 14/A Dec, 1914.) 



By the end of February the majority of flower-haunting and 

 leaf-eating beetles has ])assed away. However, by searching 

 under the bark of trees, under logs, &c., or in ants' nests, many 

 of the species referred to in this paper may be found throughout 

 the autumn and winter. Some of them, in fact, are not pro- 

 curable at other times, as in the case of myrmecophilous beetles. 

 Good observers have noted that these curious insects appear to 

 be absent from the nests during the summer months. The 

 activity and pugnacity of many kinds of ants on a hot day, 

 however, might result in conclusions being hastily arrived at, so 

 that further investigation on this point is necessary. 



NITIDULID/E. 

 1716. Brachypeplus basalts, Erichs. 

 1728. Carpophilus aterrimiis, Macl. 



These are small, dull-coloured beetles, usually found under 

 bark or amongst vegetables, &c. They have shortened elytra. 



♦ Previous parts of this paper appeared in the Victorian Naturalist, 

 vol. xxvi., p. 39; xxvii., p. 153; xxviii., p. 117; xxix., p. 72 ; and xxx., 

 p. 189. 



