425 



quently allied to the destructive Lachnosternas or " White Grubs" of 

 this country and to the European "Cock-chafer." The genus is confined 

 to Australia, twenty-three species having been described. 



It attacks various trees and shrubs, particularly cherry, peach, and 

 plum trees, and hawthorn hedges. Its appearance in numbers was 

 first noticed by Mr. French in limited localities in 1858, since which 

 time its increase has been rapid. 



His observations concerning the species and recommendations for its 

 destruction are substantially as follows : They make their appearance 

 about October, just at "cherry time," and continue till Christmas. 

 Cherry and plum trees are stripped of their leaves, often causing them 

 to wither and die. They appear often in swarms, and their work is 

 described as resembling that caused by locust attacks. In a single day 

 they sometimes commit great havoc. The life habits of the species 

 remain to be investigated. The eggs are believed to be deposited in 

 sandy soil and the larvse descend further into the ground soon after 

 hatching. Newly hatched beetles have been observed coming up 

 through the sand in the most scrubby flats. 



To extirpate the pest, burning, beating, scalding, rolling, and spray- 

 ing are recommended. To accomplish best results the beetles should be 

 attacked when they first make their appearance and before they have 

 completely matured. In the early morning, before the sun has waked 

 them into full activity, they are sluggish, and can then be easily de- 

 stroyed. They may be beaten from the trees and afterwards destroyed 

 by sprinkling with kerosene or by scalding with hot water. One plan 

 which has been resorted to, where they attacked hawthorn hedges, is 

 to beat along the hedge, and as the insects rise burn them with roughly 

 made torches. They do not fly high, and this method is therefore 

 effective. Millions, it is said, may be destroyed by this simple, inex- 

 pensive i>rocess. On calm days the beetles may be dislodged from 

 infested trees bj^ lighting directly under them small fires upon which 

 may be thrown a few haudfuls of sulphur. The "smoking-out process" 

 is of no avail in combating these insects, as the}'^ merely leave one 

 orchard to fly to another, and when the coast is clear they are free to 

 return. Mr. French urges upon orchardists and others who have suf- 

 fered from the depredations of these beetles the necessity of immediate 

 action in ridding the colony of a pest which threatens every year to 

 become more formidable. 



THE BITE OF LATRODECTUS. 



Mr. C. Frost, in Victorian Naturalist^ vol. viii, No. 9, pp. 140-143, 

 records some experiments on Latrodectus scelio, and gives some cases of 

 its injurious effect on man. Three experiments were performed, two 

 on rats, one on a dog. In one case the rat lived, but showed effects of 

 blood poisoning. In the other case the rat died. The dog, when 

 bitten by the spiders, howled, but was not otherwise affected. In spite 



