127 



here for want of aphis on citrus plants in Honolulu. Mr. 

 Kotinskj had, however, located a citrus tree at Wahiawa, well 

 stocked with aphis and there released a colony of the parasites. 

 Mr. Kotinsky reported breeding Eretmocerus corivi Hald. 

 from pupae of Aleyrodes hiUsci collected in Honolulu. The 

 parasite was determined by Dr. Perkins. 



PAPERS READ. 



Breeding- Experiments and some Observations on the Life 

 History of Rhyncog-onus biackburni Sharp. 



BY W. M. GIFFARD. 



The absence of any information relative to the life history 

 of this interesting Hawaiian Otiorhynchine{'P\. 3, Figs. 1 & 2) led me 

 to undertake a series of general observations as to its methods 

 of reproduction. These observations are at present limited to 

 the oviposition and the earlier stages of the larva, but owing 

 to the fact that this insect is restricted to the native forest 

 belt and that these observations have of necessity been con- 

 ducted in the forest itself, it has been impracticable up to 

 the present time to make a close study of many points in its 

 life history which would probably be of great interest. The 

 experiments undertaken were first conducted within a closed 

 vessel at an elevation of 1300 feet. In this instance eighteen 

 beetles in all were taken by me from a tree (Acacia hoa) in the 

 native forest adjacent to my mountain home on Tantalus, six 

 of which were females, and twelve males. Two of the females 

 disappeared from the jar within the first week of their cap- 

 tivity, leaving only four of that sex to breed with. These four 

 females were confined with a number of the males for a period 

 of sixty days, fresh koa twigs with leaves attached having been 

 supplied to them every sixth day. The first batches of eegs, 

 three in number, were discovered twenty days after the beetles 

 had been confined. During the next forty days, forty-two 

 batches of eggs were taken, making forty-five batches in all 

 during the period of captivity. Of these the largest proportion 

 was placed in another breeding jar for further observation. It 

 will therefore be seen that during the period of sixty days 

 above referred to, each female produced an average of say 



