OG AUSTRALIAN SUGAR-CANE BEETLES AXD THEIR ALLIES. 



ANOPLOGNATHUS PUNCTULATUS OLLIFF. 



Very prevalent in the Cairiis district, wherever scrubs or even 

 isolated patches of scrub occur, where they can always be found, in the 

 season, on the foliage of the tree Litsea ferruginea (Laurineje) ; at 

 Babinda we have taken them in numbers from young examples of 

 Barringtonia cahjptrata (]\Iyrtacea^). Their habits are very similar to 

 those of related species. 



At Meringa a considerable number was on the feeding-trees on 2-4th 

 January, 1921, late in the season. Of those secured 61 per cent, were 

 males. ]\Iost of the females had eggs developing, about half formed — 

 presumably not a first set ; two had eggs nearly ready to lay, 30 and 28 

 respectively. Like boisdnvali there are eight egg-tubes on either side ; 

 tlnis they are capable of laying a large number of eggs. 



Dodd (91) unsuccessfully attempted to breed the stages; he obtained 

 eggs in confinement, but the resultant young larva? refused to live in the 

 fine soil. Perhaps, like others of its relations, the grub exists in the 

 sand of river-beds, &c. 



ANOPLOGNATHUS FRENCHI :\IACLEAY. 



This beautiful "Gold Beetle" occasionally flies to lights in the scrub 

 areas of Babinda and Innisfail, and in these localities can sometimes be 

 collected in moderate quantities from the Malvaceous tree Ilihiscus 

 tlliaceus. The life-history has not been studied. 



ANOPLOGNATHUS MASTERSI MACLEAY. 



A. master si in appearance favours A. frencJii but is rather more 

 robust. We have not seen this beetle from the Cairns district, but in 

 the vicinity of Ingham and on the Lower Burdekin it is not infrecpient. 

 At Macknade Mill they were gathered and paid for at the rate of Is. 6d. 

 per quart by the Beetle Destruction Fund, though there is no evidence 

 to show that they are destructive to sugar-cane. One of the principal 

 l)eetle collectors at this place supplied the information that they were to 

 be found on bamboo and pink burr, and tlint he was certain they fed 

 on the burr leaves. 



ANOPLOGNATHUS ROTHSCHILDI OHAUS. 



Of about tlie size of ^1. mastrrsi but quite dull in colour, this is 

 indeed a rare species. The very few adults in our collection were 

 attracted to lights at Babinda. 



ANOPLOGNATHUS ABNORMIS MACLEAY. 



Another very rare form; the odd si)ecimens procured by us are from 

 Babinda. It is a smaller insect than rothschildi, with which it closely 

 agrees except for the presence of two irregular lilack stripes toward the 

 lateral margins of the pronotum. 



ANOPLOSTETHUS L^TUS R. & J. 



This is a si)lendid beetle ; a little larger than the Christmas beetle, 

 the typical form is pale grass-green with yellowish-green legs. However, 

 there are two diverse and striking varieties; one is of a peculiar and 

 beautiful opalescent violet shade; the other is of a rich coppery red. 



