115 



in the matter, but I was enabled to determine that the line of the fibres of the 

 wood, and not the line of gravity, determined the direction of the pupation 

 cavities. This must be of use in preventing the cavities from contiguous bur- 

 rows from interfering with each other. 



"When the beetle emerges it soon leaves the burrow, and either forms a 

 fresh burrow in the same stump, or takes wing to a fresh locality. Those I 

 had in captivity appeared to prefer the sunshine for their flight. It is only by 

 taking them before they have left the burrows in which they were reared that 

 they are to be captured in perfect condition. 



The beetles are able to make a very audible squeak by rubbing the ab- 

 domen rapidly against the elytra. When a log containing a number of bur- 

 rows is shaken, the beetles burrowing within answer with quite a chorus of 

 squeaking. In order to detect it the ear must be held close to the wood. 



I have never met with Colydium elongatum, a very rare beetle, only found 

 as a parasite of Platypus. The only parasite I have seen is a small white 

 Acarus ; the full-grown Acarus, until its legs are detected, extremely resembles 

 in size, colour, and outline the egg of Platypus, and it lays its egg on that of 

 the beetle, three or four sometimes adhering to the egg. I believe it extracts 

 nutriment from the larvaj of the beetle, though without doing it much real 

 injury (applause). 



(This excellent paper was illustrated by the beetles themselves, the 

 frass masses, and sections of the wood containing the burrows.) 



