( Sexy} 
larve (of which specimens were sent, showing them to be 
Lamellicorn), were stated to be 14 inches long, gths inch 
diameter ; body round, with reddish head; and it was said 
that later on thousands of a kind of horned beetle (pre- 
sumably developed from these larve) appeared out of the 
infested ground. 
‘This is all very plain; but the thing that was not clear 
to the local manager, who appears to be a very good observer, 
is—why do the injuries to grass, and also the beetle presence 
(of whatever species), not occur on the unenclosed Pampas, 
but only, or almost entirely, within the enclosures? and why 
should the destruction of grass be followed by such a growth 
of better kinds, that the infestation was decidedly ultimately 
a benefit ? 
‘‘T found from the notes sent me that the great enclosures 
were especially used for grazing stock, as cattle, horses, and 
sheep, and it was mentioned, ‘Hyery year we have a good 
crop of beetles, which, at certain seasons, you find travelling 
along the cattle tracks in hundreds. It appears to be from 
their eggs that the white grub comes. 
‘On turning out the contents of the bottle, I found that 
most of the contents were ¢ and ? of one of the Dynastide, 
but with them were single specimens of what I took to be 
Scarabeide, but had no means here of determining; there- 
fore asked Mr. Janson’s assistance, who was good enough to 
identify the first (the Dynasfes)as g¢ and ? of the Diloboderus 
abderus, Sturm ; and the two other species, of which, un- 
fortunately, only one specimen of each was sent me, respec- 
tively the Hucranium arachnoides, Brullé, and the Megathopa - 
violacea, Blanch. In the case of this latter, Mr. Janson drew 
my attention to the colour being usually of a more marked 
violet than that of my specimen ; but still as the preservative 
fluid has dried out, the violet colour is not wholly absent. 
“The E. arachnoides will be seen to be a very beautiful 
specimen, the peculiar fork, or pair of long processes, in 
front of the clypeus, being very observable. On seeing these 
two beetles, it occurred to me that they might account, to 
some extent, for the improved state of the ground. If they 
are of the manure-burying kinds, this (so to say) ‘ dibbling’ 
