32 



LOKD HOWE ISLAJJD. 



parts of the flats in some quantity. Their presence is at once discerned by 

 the small heaps of droppings collected either at the open base of the hollow, 

 or on the ground, at the foot of the tree inhabited by them. To obtain 

 specimens, the hollow in the trunk must be followed out, and a hole cut at 

 the particular spot occupied by the insect, their habit and power of closely 

 clmging to an object preventing the adoption of any other method except, 

 perhaps, that of smoking out. We found the females greatly predominating 

 over the males. Since our return from Lord Howe Island, Mr. AV". H. 

 Langloy has brought from thence a specimen of the "Water Scorpion, 

 Belostoma indicum, L. & S. It is, however, possible that it may have been 

 introduced. 



The only Ilemipterous insect met with by ourselves was an immature 

 bug, belonging to the family Scutellarida;, and perhaps even of the genus 

 Scutellera itself. This bug was obtained in large numbers by the writer, on 

 the flat at the back of Blenkinthorpc Beach, where it occurred in hundreds on 

 the tree-trunks and branches, and covering many yards square on the ground. 

 A few years ago a Coccus seems to have played sad mischief with the ban- 

 yans. Mr. Dufi; remarks on this subject, — ■" I noticed with regret that many 

 of the large banyan-trees (Fictis columnaris) on the low land were in an 

 unhealthy and decaying state, mostly their leaves having fallen off, whilst 

 those remaining were infected with an insect {Coccus) underneath the leaves, 

 causing them to have a sickly yellow appearance. The Coccus insect is the 

 same as that which attacked and damaged the Moreton Bay fig-trees in 

 Sydney parks and gardens a few years ago."* 



Passing to the Myriopoda, sevci-al forms of Julus are met with, particularly 

 a slender black species. This occurs wherever there is a superabundance 

 of rotten Avoody matter, and frequently at the bases of the palm sheaths, 

 between the leaf stalks and the stem. 



The first order of this class, the Chilopoda, is represented by a Centipede, 

 Ileterostoma, met with under much the same circumstances. 



Lastly we obtained a number of Spiders, but these appear to be immature 

 individuals, and of doubtful identity, and this gToup would undoubtedly 

 repay further research. The following Arachnid genera are recorded by 

 Mr. E. S. Hill — Epeira, Lycosa, Olios, Tlwmisus, Clwbiona, Delena, and 

 Amourohiiis (.^) 



The following is as complete a list of the "Insecta" of Lord Howe, using 

 the term in i(s broadest sense, which it has been possible to get together. t 



Cnemoplites Howei, Thorn. 



Leptops Etheridgei, Oil. (sp. nov.) 



Blax AVollastoni, White. 



Lamprima insularis, Macleay. 

 "Hesperus pacificus. Oil. 

 *Creophilus erythrocephalus, Fair. 



Scaraphites Macleayi, Westio. 



Chlffinins peregrinus. Cast. 



Lestignathus fugax, Oil. (sp. nov.) 



Dyscolus hilaris, Oil. (sp. nov.) 



Liaphoromerus iridipennis, Ch. 

 *Orthorrhinus lateralis, Fasc. 

 *Tranes insularis, Pasc. 



* Report to the Ttoii. .T. B. Wilson (Lord Hoipe Idand, Report on Present Prospects, 

 d-c. ), loc. cit. , p. 10. [Tliis seems to be ii mistake. The insect was the larva of a species 

 of Galernca {Ooleoptera.) — E.P.R.] 



t Those species marked with au asterisk are quoted from authorities. 



