544 



it is only beetles belonging to the sub-families MelolontMdes and 

 Cetonudcs that are known as cockchafers, but in Australia any large 

 lamellicorn is spoken of as such : members of the sub-family 

 Eutelides (to which Anoplostethus belongs) being commonly spoken 

 of as cockchafers. In Europe and America a number of species 

 have been recorded as extremely destructive during certain years. 

 In France and elsewhere, large areas of grass and cereals have been 

 entirely destroyed by having the roots eaten, the grass withering up 

 and blowing away, so that fields were left entirely bare. Whenf ull 

 grown, the cockchafers feed upon leaves and petals of flowers, and 

 occasionally do serious harm from the great numbers in which they 

 occur, and their occasionally migratory habits. The species now 

 treated on is one which is found only in this State, and is 

 extremely common during late spring and summer, nevertheless, 

 unless specially looked for, it is seldom seen as it only flies at night, 

 remaining concealed during the day underground or on the shady 

 side of a leaf; on a sultry night a specimen may be sometimes taken 

 at a lamp or other light. During November and December, at 

 dusk, I have seen swarms of these insects flying around lemons, 

 pear, peach, and other fruit trees ; on examining these trees after- 

 wards, large numbers of leaves were noticed to have been partly 

 eaten. 



The larvae feed upon the tender roots and the larger roots of 

 fruit trees, vines, etc., and their presence is often unsuspected, the 

 damage, if noticed, being put down to poorness of soil, want of 

 water, or other cause. They probably pass a couple of years under- 

 ground before changing to pupae, which state may last for but a 

 short period, but probably for several months. 



The beetle is about an inch in length and rather bulky, and it 

 is of a beautiful opalescent green, rendered still more beautiful by 

 placing the insect in water or spirits ; its shape, as also that of the 

 larva and pupa, has been well shown by Mr. Fuller in the accom- 

 panying wood block. The larva has the usual shape of a lamelli- 

 corn, and, with other species, may often be noticed whilst ploughing 

 or digging is being carried on : numbers may often be noticed under 

 logs in damp situations. The pupa is enclosed in a brittle, sandy 

 cocoon, differing in this respect from that of the wood-eating 

 species, which are usually hard and formed of triturated wood and 

 excrement. 



The larvae (at least so far as my observations extend) appear 

 to be free from internal parasites ; they are, however, attacked by a 

 small semi-transparent mite, sometimes in considerable numbers. 

 The winged beetles frequently contain the maggot of a fly belonging 

 to the Tachinidfe, which, when fully developed, is about the size of 

 the common blow-fly. At an early date it is intended to give an 

 illustration of this species, as internal parasites of fully grown 

 beetles are excessively rare, only two instances of such have ever 

 come under my observation. On the under surface of the beetles 

 small ticks belonging to the Ixodidde may occasionally be seen, and 



