24 



tbese beetles as well as their eggs, larva?, and pupa?. Many of the egos were, as those 

 of the 0rcu8, fastened onto the spider webs on trunks and branches, but the larger 

 number were deposited on the underside of young and partly closed leaves affected 

 by a fungoid. The entire tree from top to bottom was carefully examined to ascer- 

 tain the food habits of this insect. With the exception of a few remains of Thrips 

 among the affected leaves, not a trace of insect life could be found, and there is no 

 doubt that this insect lives upon the Oidium, as do our Psyllobora. The beetle was 

 also met with upon orange infested with Aphis at Parramatta, at the Clarence. 

 Richmond, and Tweed rivers. New South Wales, as well as at Toowoomba upon 

 various other plants. Many specimens were sent to California. 



Hahjzia pascoei Crotch. — This beetle was but rarely met with upon orange at Parra- 

 matta. New South Wales, and feeding upon Aphids. A newly hatched specimen 

 was found on a branch with plant lice. This was not found in sufficient numbers 

 to send to California. 



Halyzia iduardsi Muls.— A closely related species to the foregoing. Only met with 

 upon orange and preying upon Aphis, between the Richmond and Tweed rivers. Xew 

 South Wales. The insect was not sent to California. 



Verania frenata Er. — This was the most numerous insect met with iu the Too- 

 \\ oomba district during November, 1891, and could then have been collected by the 

 thousands upon orange and Acacia, and yet on a later visit, April 6-11, 1892, when 

 other Coccinellidse were still numerous, not a single specimen of this species could 

 be seen. They were found besides upon the trees mentioned, upon the Cabbage Aphis, 

 where its larva was found, as well as upon apple trees, here feeding on the Woolly 

 Aphis. The insect is common in Xew South Wales and very numerous in Queensland. 

 It seems to be confined to Aphids only. It was also met with in New Caledonia. 

 Large numbers were sent to California. 



Verania lineola Fabr. — This insect was found along the coast from the Clarence 

 River to north of Brisbane, always upon Aphis. Very numerous in a cornfield on 

 the Richmond River, and here feeding upon the Aphids infesting these plants. The 

 larva' were here remarkably numerous, and one of these nearly grown was observed 

 feeding upon a nearly grown larva of Heliothis armigera Hiibn., that had been in 

 the act of issuing from one of the cobs in a rather narrow hole. The coccinellid 

 larva had eaten a hole into that of the Heliothis, which was helplessly struggling 

 and unable to free itself. The insect was also found very numerous in the Fiji 

 Islands, also feeding upon Aphids on wild pea vines, sugar cane, and various other 

 plants. The Orcw are closely related to our Chilochorus, and their habits are the 

 same. They may be expected to feed upon various coccids with us, and have about 

 two annual broods. 



Orcus chalyheus Boisd. — The most effective enemy of the Red Scale met with in 

 Australia. The insect is always found upon citrus trees infested with this coccid 

 and often in very large numbers. As many as three hundred were collected clus- 

 tered around the base of the trunk of an orange tree at Parramatta, New South 

 Wales, on a day when the temperature reached above 10O- F. It is only on such 

 occasions that the beetles will come down near the ground to seek a cool place 

 during the hottest pari of the day, and by 5 o'clock in the evening all have again 

 returned among the branches and leaves, upon the surface of which they delight in 

 sunning themselves when not busily engaged in turning up the scales and feeding 

 upon th«' insects helow . Some three 1 thousand specimens were thus collected within 

 about two hours' time. It appears that this insect has but two generations, although 

 beetles can be found during everyday iu the year. The eggs are deposited by hiber- 

 nated insects in early spring all over the trunks, limbs, and leaves of trees; spider 

 webs s. cm always to lie preferred to fasten the eggs thereon. Often on single long 

 threads rows of eggs can be seen. No doubt this is done to protect them from the 

 many enemies which \'ca\ thereon, its own larva-, without any question, devouring 

 the most. Ahout the end of J ><•( tinhci . near Sydney, the bulk of the first brood of 



