15 



Bulletin No. 26, Division of Entomology of the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture (pp. 16 and 17), where it is referred to as "an undetermined 

 species of Scymnus, closely related to Scymnus marginicoUis Mann., but 

 having a distinct metallic, somewhat brassy tinge upon the wing cases." 

 I have found this larva feeding upon the Ked Scale {Aspidiotus aurantii 

 as well as upon the San Jose Scale (Aspidiotus pemieiosus) and the 

 Woolly Aphis (Schizoneura lanigera). This is doubtless the ••small 

 Scymnid on Ked Scale" referred to by Mr. Koebele in the letter given 

 above and which he says is "as good as the Orcus in destroying these 

 scales," the other Scymnids referred to being much larger species. 



Another package of insects from Sydney, Australia, was received on 

 the 15th of April, 1802. Xo letter accompanied this package, wWch 

 contained the following living insects : Twenty-seven specimens of Orcus 

 chalybeus and nine of Orcus australasim, all of which I liberated in tin- 

 orange grove in which the former consignments were set free ; four speci- 

 mens of Lets conformist and five of the large yellow Coccinellid with six 

 elytral black spots, which was also represented among those received 

 December 28, 1891, and alluded to above. The specimens of tin* last 

 two species I placed on an orange tree thickly infested with Apbides. 

 There was also a box containing a number of larvse and chrysalides of 

 the moth Thalpochares cocciphaga in their cocoons; these 1 placed in 

 breeding cages in my office and kept them well supplied with Lecanium 

 olece. During the month of May nine adult parasites belonging to the 

 genus Bracon issued from these larvae or chrysalides. The moth> issued 

 in the latter part of June and during the month of July, and after the 

 last one had finished depositing her eggs I placed the entire contents of 

 these cages in an orange tree thickly iufested with Lecanium o!ea\ 



The eighth and last consignment of insects from Sydney, Australia, 

 reached me on the 14th of May, 1892. This package also was not accom- 

 panied by letter. For the first time, all of the insects had been packed 

 in Sphagnum moss, as advised in my letter to Mr. Koebele. of December 

 30, 1891, a copy of which is given on a preceding page, and the insects 

 reached me in much better condition than did those of any previous 

 sending. This package contained 560 living specimens of Orcus chaly- 

 beus, 20 Orcus australasia', 170 specimens of Leis conformis, ami 5 speci- 

 mens of the yellow Coccinellid with six elytral black spots. I retained 

 20 of the Orcus chalybeus and 10 Orcus australasia\ for breeding in my 

 office; the remainder 1 turned loose in an orange grove, in tins city, 

 thickly infested with Aspidiotus aurantii, Lccanum oleic, and a certain 

 kind of Aphis. The specimens ot Leis conformis I liberated in an apple 

 orchard, in this city, thickly infested with the Woolly Aphis (Schizom ura 

 lanigera), while the yellow ladybirds with six elytral black spots were 

 kept in my office, in a large glass jar well supplied with Aphides. On 

 the 28th of Maya parasitic larva issued from the under part of the body 

 of one of the last-named ladybirds, and spun its tough brownish COCOOO 

 beneath the latter, thus attaching the ladybird to the surface upon 



