39 The Cane Grubs of Australia. 
therefore, random collections found immediately under individual cane 
plants. The data are not very numerous :— 
| 
| 
| 
Species— | | | | 
Albohirta. 547. | 377. | 650. | 533. | 646. | Caca- aaerreg: 434, Bie 
| | | | | chroa. | nathus. | | nathus. 
> CEP 
Meer) Bea oe || BS Eh 2), 8 8 | 1 | 5 
| | | 
The total is 1,539. These data show very plainly that this species is over- 
whelmingly the most abundant under the roots of cane-plants, and conse- 
quently the one to which most of the damage must be attributed. Taking 
the three species of Lepidiota out, there would remain a very negligible 
quantity to do damage. Thus, Lepidiota must be considered primarily 
cane beetles, and this species (albohirta) the cane beetle, at least so far 
in the locality in which the studies were made. 
Tak RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF THE SPECIES IN NATURAL FOREST. 
From Random Collections. The data as yet not large. A larger amount of it was 
unusable on account of the identification factor being absent. 
Species— 
Albohirta. 53a. |3a77and'| 650. 364. 89. 646. 587 
609. | 
123 172 116 Boley 2 | 19 5 29 
| 
Species— | 
Xylotrupes. 539. 434, Anoplog- | 607. | Dasygnathus.| Cacachroa, 
nathus. | 
4 1 3 74 17 44 312 
Percentages :— 
The total is 1,027. From these data, the cacachroa seems must abun- 
dant in nature as far as this habitat is concerned. The species albohirta 
here falls from an easy first place (in canefields) to an uneasy third. 
BEHAVIOUR OF ADULTS IN CONFINEMENT. 
When healthy adults.are placed into suitable breeding cages and 
supplied with food, they follow in general their normal life routine, 
becoming active at night, inactive in ihe daytime. But during the latter 
period, instead of remaining aboye eround, they invariably hide them- 
seives in the soil. Their behaviour, then, is similar to that of the various 
species of the North American genus Lachnosterna. Adults which of 
themselves have never left the soil, but which were taken from cages or 
ploughed up in the field, at once bury themselves and never leave the soil, 
even if placed in the presence of food. They seem physiologically 
different from those which have naturally left the soil because of some 
instinct, or in response to some stimulus. 
THe Hapirs AND Foop or ADULTS. 
The beetles of this species commence to emerge from the ground 
