23 



each of the tubercles on segments two to eleven is longer than the style at its apex ; 

 twelfth segment on each side bearjng two subdorsal and two small stigmatal, widely 

 separated tubercles, each of which is shorter than the style at its apex; head polished 

 black and bearing a few stout bristles; legs black and also bearing a few stout 

 bristles. 



Duration of this stage, three days. 



Second stage. — Same as the first, except that the color of the body is black and the 

 tubercles on the seventh segment are yellow ; the styles of tin; tubercles are not com- 

 pressed at their tips; the united bases of the tubercles which are arranged in pairs 

 or in threes are longer than the tubercles proper and each bean a lew slender 

 lateral bristles; the posterior tubercle in each cluster of three is .longer than either 

 of the others in the same cluster. 



Duration of this stage, three days. 



Third stage. — Same as the second, except that sometimes, but not always, some or 

 all of the tubercles on the fourth segment are yellow. 



Duration of this stage, three days. 



Fourth stage. — There is no appreciable difference between this and the preceding 

 stage. 



This is as far as I was able to carry these larvae, a host of mites 

 belonging to the species Heteropus ventricosus of Newport having 

 invaded my breeding cages and in a very short time destroyed not only 

 these larvae, but also many others which I was rearing at the same 

 time, the soft, recently transformed chrysalides and pupae being 

 attacked as well as the smaller larvae of all descriptions. No specimens 

 of the Leis were received by me after the above date, so I was unable 

 to procure a fresh colony of larvae and thus complete the life history. 



On the 14th of May I placed in one of my breeding cages about a 

 dozen adult specimens of Leis conformis and supplied them with orange 

 twigs infested with an undetermined species of Aphis. Three days 

 later some of the beetles were paired, and on the 19th of May I exam- 

 ined the twigs in this cage, but found no eggs; I then replenished it 

 with fresh twigs infested with the Aphides, and in the afternoon of the 

 same day this cage contained two clusters of eggs, containing seven 

 and ten eggs, respectively. The beetles were very lively and ted 

 greedily upon the Aphides. The females laid eggs readily in confine- 

 ment; even when inclosed in a small-sized box. The larvae were com. 

 paratively easy to rear and fed readily upon the Aphides, large numbers 

 of which were destroyed in a day by a single larva. 



Undetermined Coccinkixid, (elytra yellow, marked with six black spots).— 

 Egg. — Elongate-ellipsoidal, two and a half times as long as broad, light lemon-yellow . 

 the upper end marked with a rather large white spot, surface highly polished, but 

 under a high magnifying power appearing slightly scabrous, owing to minute blister- 

 like spots, which are scattered over its surt'acc; length, l} mm . 



Placed on end in clusters of about ten eggs each. Time from depo- 

 sition to hatching, live days. 



Larva: First stage. — Body of the usual Coccinellid form, olive-brown \ arid with 

 black, sides of the fourth segment lighter, almost white; lirst BCgmeut hearing a 

 circle of twenty-six elongated tubercles, besides a transverse pair mar the center 



