The Zoologist — March, 1867. 647 



on the habits of this species, which 1 beg to refer to (see Zool. for 18G4), and will now 

 supplement. Though formerly, as there mentioned, rather numerous, and one yeaf 

 particularly so, at ihe foot of the North Adelaide hills, they seem almost entirely to 

 have deserted them. As with the Ceraplerus, the preseuce of cattle seems necessary 

 to their maintenance, and though on the former occasions I found them mostly running 

 about, and very seldom under dry cow-dung, I have reason from this day's observation 

 (November 17, 1866) to think that they lay their eggs beneath it. In November, 

 1864,1 captured near the Eeed Beds as many as twenty-two; this was at a farm 

 where many cows were kept, sandy iu some parts, but good soil in others. Rather late 

 in November, 1865, I repaired to the same spot, but did not fiud a single specimen; 

 that, however, was a year of drought. The favourable and long-protracted rains of 

 this year made me hope better things, and I was not disappointed. I took in about an 

 hour and a half, from a space somewhat less than an acre, sixty-five of the Calosoma. 

 Nearly all of them were under the half-dried cow-dung; under the first I lifted were 

 four; under one as many as twenty. But few were running about, and these either 

 round the deposits or from one to another. As usual they never once attempted to fly, 

 though they have ample wings, and the day was sufficiently warm : they ran, but not 

 very fast, and were easily taken. Under the piece of cow-dung where the largest 

 number were found only two or three were at first seen, but others had gone below the 

 surface of the ground, and on watching a slight kicking or disturbance of the earth 

 took place, and the beetle was easily captured. The males and females, slightly 

 differing in size, the latter being the largest, were much together, and I conclude it 

 was late in their season, and that the eggs were being deposited beneath the surface 

 under the cow-dung. There were not any larvae about, though I had seen them at 

 this lime of year on a previous occasion. The beetles smelt strongly of the substance 

 under which they burrowed, and I think they fed on it. 



"Our large five-horned Copris has of late years spread in the Gawler districts from 

 the same cause, viz. the numerous deposits from the cattle. Through this, while in a 

 moist state, they pierce during the dark hours, going often a foot down, making large 

 holes, and throwing up the earth behind them ; and I have dug out from under one 

 piece from twenty to thirty specimens, male and female. They first appear in June, 

 when rain has fallen, up to September when leaving off." 



Prof. Westwood observed that, in the note referred to, in the • Modern Classifica- 

 tion,' he undoubtedly was speaking of Formicidse, and not of Terniitidae. Mr. Wilson 

 did not seem to be aware that Paussidre had been repeatedly found in ants' nests, and 

 that several species had heeu sent from the Cape of Good Hope by Guienzius with the 

 nests of the particular species of Formicida3 which they frequented. 



Mr. A. R. Wallace remarked upon the rapidity with which the insects mentioned 

 by Mr. Wilson had adapted their mode of life to the altered circumstances in which 

 they found themselves placed ; thirty years ago there was not a cow in South Australia, 

 and yet members of three families of Coleoptera, so widely separated as the Paussidae, 

 Carabidae and Copridae, had already become habitual frequenters of cow-dung; and 

 this was the more remarkable in the Calosoma, whose British congener was arboreal 

 in its habits. 



Mr. Gould exhibited Hylurgus piniperda, which was doing considerable mischief 

 to Pinus insignis in several parks and plantations in Cornwall. 



