490 



genus Brachytettix 0-) closely resembling the "gibbers' * 

 amongst which it occurs. A single specimen of the widely 

 distributed but rare and curious cricket, Gylindrodes camp- 

 belli, Burm/ 2 ) (pi. xxxiii., fig. 4), was taken. Several larval 

 ant-lions (Myrmeleonidae) were taken, but unfortunately the 

 life-histories of so few of these species are known that 

 practically nothing can be done with preserved larvae ; the 

 species commented upon by Mr. Waite <3 » appears to have 

 similar habits to some of our species frequenting beach-dunes. 

 Two specimens of a minute weevil (Niphobolus deceptor) 

 having very unusual claws were obtained. 



Most of the beetles collected are here identified or named, 

 but in addition other insects were obtained as f ollow T s : — 

 Hemiptera, 27 species; Hymenoptera W , 20 species; Orthop- 

 tera, 17 species; Lepidoptera, 11 species; Diptera, 6 species; 

 and Xeuroptera, 4 species. 



Mr. Waite has also supplied an interesting note on some 

 scorpions obtained during the expedition < 5) . 



(i) A specimen of the species is standing under that name in 

 the Museum, but as yet I have been unable to verify it. 



(2) On September 25, when traversing the sandhills in the 

 neighbourhood of Strzelecki Creek, I noticed long tracks in the 

 sand, each terminating in a round hole ; these tracks were often 

 punctured, evidently by birds searching for the contained insect. I 

 made many attempts to secure what I thought might be a mole 

 cricket, and finally succeeded in obtaining a single specimen, which 

 Mr. Lea has since identified as that curious cricket, Cylindrodes. — 

 E. R. W. 



(3) Previously I had caught the larvae of ant-lions only at the 

 bottom of their pits, but when among the sandhills in the vicinity 

 of Kanowana on October 11, I noticed some variation in construc- 

 tion. A sub-surface tunnel was found to run from many of the 

 pits to a distance of 12 inches or so, and after many attempts, 

 made in various positions of the tunnel, it was found that a sudden 

 grab at the farther end of the bore often succeeded in disclosing 

 the larva in the handful of sand secured. — E. R. TV. 



(4) Thousands of wasps of two species were seen drinking at 

 water-troughs. 



(5) On September 3, when collecting on the sandhills bordering 

 Strzelecki Creek, I noticed a number of peculiar slit-like holes 

 about 2 inches wide, but only \ inch in depth. Discovering that 

 the holes were drilled to a considerable distance, I returned to 

 camp and obtained a shovel ; then, guided by a probing stick, I 

 dug slopingly downwards. When the excavation reached a vertical 

 depth of 2\ feet I came across a pair of formidable-looking nippers, 

 and discovered them to be the claws of quite a large scorpion. 

 Several other burrows were excavated with like result, and a. 

 number of scorpions thus obtained. The narrow slit-like opening, 

 which exactly accommodates the body of the scorpion, is continued 

 of the same character through the sand to the terminal chamber, 

 which was found to be enlarged (2£xl inches), certainly enabling 

 the creature to turn round. — E. R. W. 



