23© 



received, 14 were alive. From these, breeding has been going 

 on with some interruptions, and colonies of adults have been 

 sent to some of the sugar plantations. This is an Aphis feeder, 

 but also ate young leaf-hoppers in insectary, and no doubt would 

 feed upon them, especially the smaller nymphs, when cane Aphis 

 became 'scare in the cane-fields. In Queensland, Mr. Perkins 

 found them abundant in grass and cane-fields, feeding on Aphis. 

 It may be identified by its tawny yellow color, with the pos- 

 terior portion of prothorax black ; the elytra with broad black 

 margins where they come together in the median line, and an 

 elongate z-shaped black mark in the middle of each. 



Life History. 



The eggs are bright yellow, 1.25 mm. long, deposited on end, 

 in clusters of 8 to 13 on underside of leaves, or other sheltered 

 places. They hatch in 3 to 6 days, usually 4 ; the larvae molt 3 

 times before attaining full growth, at intervals of 2 to 4 days 

 between molts, and about 6 'to 7 days between the third molt 

 and pupation ; the whole larval period ranges from 15 days to 28 

 days or an average of about 19 or 20 days. 



The full-grown larva (PI. XV, fig. 9) is 7.5 mm. in length. It 

 is without tubercles, slig'htly hairy, dark purplish brown, nearly 

 black on dorsal side, with a white streak along the back, com- 

 posed of large dorsal spots on each segment, beginning with the 

 mesothoracic and terminating on the seventh abdominal seg- 

 ment ; the dors'al spot on the fourth abdominal segment is three 

 times as broad as the spots on adjacent segments ; a lateral white 

 line on each side, composed of spots on the edges of the seg- 

 ments termina'ting at the sixth abdominal segment, an additional 

 white spot just above 'this line on mesothoracic and first and 

 fourth abdominal segments ; a median dorsal line on prothorax, 

 widening posteriorly. These markings are not so pronounced 

 in younger larvae. 



The pupa (PI. XV, fig. 10) is about 4 mm. long, suspended in 

 some sheltered place. It is tawny yellow with a pair of black 

 markings on anterior margin of prothorax, another pair on the 

 posterior margin, also a pair on the mesothorax; inner margins 

 of wing-pads black, faint traces of two brownish dorsal streaks 

 on t^he abdomen. A spine on each lateral edge of the 3rd, 4th, 

 5t1i and 6th abdominal segments. The pupal period is 3 to 9 

 days, usually 4 to 5. 



