The Cane Grubs of Australia. 29 



Stage III. Dasygnathus confined in a breeding cage May 7th, removed 

 and kept indoors on September 18th, dead on April 1st with the parasite 

 larva within, a puparium on April 6th ; in this case the host remained 

 alive seven months after the normal time of pupating. 



DEXIID Sp. D. No. 42. 



A dull species with greenish reflections, reared on two occasions as 

 follows : — One reared from Stage III. Lcpidiota rothei taken from dark 

 loam canefielcl October 6th, placed in breeding cage, removed and kept 

 indoors December 19th, puparium formed between February 4th and 8th, 

 emerged February 25th ; bred from Stage III. L. rothei found in red 

 volcanic canefield, February 11th, formed puparium between February 

 26th, March -Ith, emerged March 20th. 



DEXIID ?p. D. No. 47. 



Resembles the preceding species but with a larger head ; it has been 

 recorded once, one being reared from Stage III, Lepidiota frenchi taken 

 from red volcanic canefield Februarj^ 8th, formed puparium between 

 March 4th and 11th, emerged March 27th. 



THE PREDACEOUS ASILIDxE. 



Larvffi of four species of the dipterous family Asilid^e, of which 

 three have ben reared, are known to attack the various cane-grubs. 

 These larva? move freely through the soil, and, finding a cane-grub, bury 

 their head in some soft portion of its body and so suck it to death ; they 

 pupate loosely in the soil. Owing to the softness of their body they are 

 frecjuently bitten and killed by their pre}^ None of the species are 

 common, and hence do little material good. 



ASILID Sp. D. 1. 



The largest species and most abundant in canefields. Large larvae 

 have been taken on the follo\\dng dates : — June 4th, July 30th, September 

 24th, October 5th, November 4th ; from red volcanic canefields, from 

 yellow clay loam grass lands, and from loam jungle canefield. Pupae 

 have been taken in confinement as follows : — Pupated between October 

 18th and 26th, emerged November 28th ; pupated between December 7th 

 and 14th, emerged January 17th ; pupated between November 22nd and 

 29th, emerged December 30th ; pupated January 3rd, emerged February 

 3rd; pupated September 17th. The length of the pupal stage is some- 

 what over a month. The adult is a large typical Asilid, of a dull colour, 

 the femora and tibiae deep-red, the tarsi black, 



ASILID Sp. D. 65. 



A medium-sized species; the adult is somewhat yellowish, the legs 

 black with the tibia' j^ellow. A number of larvie were taken from red 

 volcanic soil, badly infested with cane-grubs, June 16th and July 30th, 

 also two larvo3 from dark loam canefielcl, August 22nd. Pupte liave been 

 found in confinement on the following dates: — August 19th, 22nd, Sep- 

 tember 9th, 10th, 16th, 25th; one that pupated on September 10th 

 emerged on October 5th, giving the duration of the pupal stage as 25 

 days. 



