The Cane Grubs of Australia. 47 
NuMBER oF Ea@es Laip sy REARED ADULTS. 
The following table summarises our data :— 
Number of Reared Females. | Eggs Laid. Eggs per Female. 
1 are Sc 56 33 33 a 
2 5c 56 50 42 2] 
a 50 ae 56 39 13=Average, 19 
Thus one female may lay as many as 33 eggs, though the average 
number is considerably less. 
BEHAVIOUR OF ADULTS IN NATURE. 
During the hot summer days of December and January the adults 
are very plentiful in the forested areas around Gordonvale. They may 
be seen flying round and round, low over patches of blady grass 
(Imperata), and individual specimens or mated pairs can be found 
clinging to the grass-stems. Flowering trees such as Hucalyptus sp. (an 
unknown species known commonly as the Box) and Melaleuca are 
frequented by them in Jarge numbers, the species easily outnumbering all 
other flower-feeding bectles on these trees. Numerous mated pairs may 
be found among the flowers. A sharp shake given to a frequented tree 
causes the beetles to drop, and then fly before they reach the ground. 
They fly with great rapidity, and without lifting the elytra, shooting the 
wings out horizontally and at right. angies to the body. There is much 
individual variaticn in the size of the white markings on the thorax, 
elytra, and venter of abdomen, but the females can be distinguished 
rather readily by their larger size, and the much smaller size of the light 
markings, these being sometimes almost wholly wanting. Fresh speci- 
mens taken from cocoons are of a rich chestnut brown colour, but after 
a day or two turn black.* 
CETONID Sp. No. 46. 
Our sole record of this species is as follows:—Three larvie, in two 
stages, taken from decayed log on floor of jungle, Mundoo (Innisfail), 
N.Q., January 15, 1912. 
No. 71. 
Four Stage III. larve taken from under a termite’s nest, Bundaberg, 
S.Q., March 9, 1912. This is our only record. 
No. 539. 
A single larva of an unknown stage from roots of native grasses in 
jungle, Cooktown, N.Q., February 28, 1914. 
No. 349. 
Seattered not uncommonly in cane rubbish-heaps, sandy loam, 
around Gordonvale, and feeding on the decayed wood therein. Stage 
III. larve have been obtained on the following dates:—April 17, 23; 
May 9, 23; August 4, 7, 12, 19, 24. A supposed Stage I. larva was 
found on March 27. The beetle remains unconnected. 
* The adults of the same or a closely allied species were common on fir bushes in 
flower in the bed of Cape River, Pentland, Queensland, September, 1914. 
