34 GovDln. Coleoplei-a of North-Wesieyii Victoria, [wl'x'xxvil 



transverse markings are green instead of blue. It is I of an 

 inch long. One of the finest of Mallec beetles. 



C. signata, Kerr. 

 A small yellow and black species, fairly common in some 

 seasons on the mallee blossom. " May hv a variety of 

 distingncnda, Snd." 



C. cretnita, Blackb., var. 

 This is a pretty yellow and blue species, slightly over iialf 

 an inch in length. The prothorax has narrow yellow margins 



2981. Merimna (Chrysobothris) atrata^ L. and (r. 



A common and widely spread species, known in many places 

 as the " fire-beetle," from a curious penchant it has for the 

 vicinity of fires. A burning tree or log is a favourite place on 

 which to settle, and it will even fly indoors to the fireplace. 

 It is entirely black, with slightly ribbed elytra, and measures 

 up to i-j- inches. 



Ethon. 

 Two species of this genus (unidcntUied) occur in the Sea 

 Lake district. 



3012. Cisseis nubeculosa, Germ. (?) 



The species of Cisseis are pretty little beetles, found usually 

 on wattle scrub. 



3026. Paracephala pistacina, Hope. 



This is a small species, less than 4 of an inch. It is metallic 

 ])r()n/e-coloured, and was found abundantly on grass-stalks. 



(jcrmarica lillipidana, Thoms. 

 As its name indicates, this is a very small beetle, measuring 

 only 2 mm. It is generally (if not exclusively) taken on the 

 foliage of the ("asuarinas. 



3028. Agriiits luislralasiiv, L. and (i. 



A narrow, coppery-brown species, about i| of an incli in length, 

 having whitish pubescence on the under side. 



BoROM.N I'iN.NATA. — In Novcmbcr, 1917, Mr. V. R. H. St. 

 John obtained from Labertouche a supply of Borunin pinnala, 

 Smith, when in flower, from which he distilled a small quantity 

 of oil. This was submitted to Mr. lly. G. Smith, F.C.S., ol the 

 Technological Museum, Sydney, who has recently published in 

 the " Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict." (vol. xxxii., n.s., p. 14) th(> result 

 ol his examination of the oil. This shows that al^out 70 per 

 cent, of tlie oil consists of Itlemicin, a somewhat rare jilant 

 product, hitiierto ioimd only in a Manila plant, Canariiim com- 

 mune, L., belonging to the order Jiuiscraci'ie, an order far 

 removed from the Rutacea-, to which the Boronia belongs, in 

 the usual arrangement of botanical sprrirs. 



