42 



consignment of these early birds (November 28). In the year 1888, the first Vedalias 

 reached me November 30, and by the next June they had cleared several trees of 

 Icerya and I had sent many colonies to various fruit-growers. The statement that 

 has been published, that the Orci would be to the Red Scale what the Vedalia has 

 been to the Icerya, comes wide of the mark. They are not one-tenthas efficient as 

 the Vedalias. From the last consignment received from Koebele, May 14, I selected 

 about twenty-fiA'e specimens of Orciis cludybeiis, of both sexes, and placed them in a 

 large glass jar supplied with orange twigs infested with Red, Black, and Soft Brown 

 Scales and Aphids, replenishingthe jar every few days with new material ; I kept the 

 jar in my office and examined it at short intervals, but up to date not an egg haf 

 been laid, nor have I seen the beetles paired. Orciis australasiw has acted in thf 

 same way. Under similar conditions, Leia conformis paired and laid eggs freelj, 

 and I have its larva in the fourth stage. PsyUobora galbula? also jyaiied and laid 

 eggs when treated in this way. Of course, it is possible that the Orci may require 

 very hot weather before they propagate freely. It has been exceptionally cool here 

 thus far this spring. They have not done any better under a tent inclosing an in- 

 fested orange tree. It is quite certain that both species of Orcus are permanently 

 established here. 



July 27 lie again wrote us, giving the results of fiu'tlier observations, 

 which, while proving that this ladybird is now reproducing in Califor- 

 nia, gives no added hope of rapid multiplication and the consequent 

 value of the species as a destroyer of the Eed Scale : 



Yesterday I examined the orange and lemon trees in this city where I had turned 

 loose the living specimens of Orcus ckalybeus received from Mr. Koebele prior to the 

 middle of April. About three-quarters of an hour was spent in searching for these 

 insects, and during that time one cluster of eggs, a nearly grown larva, a dozen 

 pup«, besides several empty pupa cases, also a dozen beetles, were found, mostly upon 

 the tree upon which I originally placed the beetles, a few being found upon the trees 

 immediately adjoining this one. The results of this examination confirm my previ- 

 ously expressed opinion that this species is now established in this State beyond a 

 peradventure. 



The following description of some of the early stages of Orcus chaly- 

 heus has also been transmitted to us by Mr. Coquillett, and we take 

 the first opportunity to place it upon record : 



ORCUS CHALYBEUS. 



Egg. — Light lemon-yellow, smooth and polished, except the upper end, which is 

 very scabrous; form, elongate-oval, being slightly over twice as loug as its greatest 

 diameter ; length, 1^ mm. 



Attached at one end, which is slightly flattened. Deposited on the upper side of 

 an orange leaf in a cluster numbering five eggs. 



Mature larva. — Body whitish, marked each side with a svibdorsal and a supra- 

 stigmatal row of black spots, situated at the base of the spines, the spots darkest in 

 the center, not extending upon the first segment, the two spots on each side of the 

 second segment united into a single spot, as are also those on the third segment, these 

 spots being moi-e conspicuous than those on any of the remaining segments ; first 

 segment bearing twelve spines, six in a transverse row on the front edge, an oblique 

 pair each side near the middle of the segment, and two subdorsal spines near the 

 hind margin of this segment, one on either side of the middle of the dorsum; second 

 segment bearing eight spines, four in a transverse row, and below each of the lowest 

 ones is a pair of spines placed longitudinally ; each of segments three to seven bears 

 six spines arranged in a transverse row ; segments eight, nine, and ten each bears 

 four spines arranged in a transverse row ; segment eleven bears a single pair of spines 



