DESCRIPTIONS OF AUSTRALIAN ^SCHNIN^. 51 



arranged in the form of a cross, but not meetino- centrally. 3-6 with two 

 basal lateral spots, two central dorsal spots sepai-ated by mid-dorsal line, 

 also indistinct sublateral markings, especially apically on 3-9 ; all these 

 markings yellow. 7 with the central spots advanced to one-third from base, 

 and a pair of short transverse apical lines. 8-9 with indistinct basal lateral 

 marks, and a large dorsal apical yellow spot broadening out along suture. 

 10 very short, brown. Ovipositor reaching to end of 9. Dentigerous -plate 

 of 10 with six strong teeth. Appendages 1*4 mm., bluntly pointed, black. 



Habitat. Australian Alps, 3000-5000 feet. Very rare. Jan. to March. 



Types: c? , Coll. Martin (Alexandra, Vic.) . ? (unique), Coll. Tillyard 

 (Mt. Kosciusko, N.S.W., at 5000-feet level, taken by Dr. A. J. Turner, 

 Jan. 23rd, 1914). 



Three males taken at the same time as the type-female, by Dr. Turner, 

 agree very closely with R. Martinis description of the type-male. All four 

 specimens are rather immature. The locality " 0. Australie " given hj 

 Martin is surely an error. 



Out of the twelve species of the genus Austroceschna the larvae of six are 

 known to me. But I have only been able to study fully the life-histories of 

 two of these, viz. A. longissima and A. midtiptnnctata, these being the only 

 two species occurring at all frequently within a hundred miles of Sydney. 



AusTRO^scHNA LONGISSIMA, Martin. 



This very graceful and beautiful species appears late in December and 

 remains on the wing until April or May. It flies usually between 2 and 

 6 P.M., keeping very low and dashing swiftly up and down small mountsiin- 

 creeks. It is very difficult to capture. The females, as is usual with all the 

 entogenic Australian j"Esclinin(e, oviposit by themselves. They select an old 

 half-rotten piece of wood or twig dipping into the water ; and, settling on it 

 with wings expanded, go about the process of oviposition very deliberately 

 and slowly. I have watched them sometimes remaining in the same place 

 for fifteen to twenty minutes, evidently experiencing some difficulty in 

 rasping open the somewhat hard tissues of the wood in which their eggs are 

 placed. The eggs are of the usual elongate-oval form (Plate 9. fig. 23) and 

 measure 1'3 mm.. ; colour very pale straw. The young larva probably hatches 

 out in the autumn, but remains very small throughout the winter, when food 

 is practically unobtainable on the mountain-creeks. Specimens dredged in 

 September are usually less than half-grown, quite black, hard, and spiny. 

 They are very active, and if held in the closed hand can almost force their 

 way out like a beetle. 



Several specimens kept in my aquaria provided some interesting obser- 

 vations. They rest, when young, either on twigs or the stiff" stems of water- 

 plants, and seem to be continually on the watch, dodging round to the 



opposite side whenever I approached. They have a voracious appetite, and 



4* 



