Vol. IV, Nos. 5 and 6.1] INSECT LIFE. [Issued December, 1891. 
SPECIAL NOTES. 
Mr. Koebele’s second Trip to Australia. — We have not yet mentioned 
in these pages the fact that Mr. Koebele has been sent out to 
Australia and New Zealand a second time on a search for beneficial 
insects. The California State Legislature last winter appropriated $5,000 
for sending some one to Australia for this purpose, and this sum was 
placed at the disposal of the State Board of Horticulture. The board 
soon afterward made application to thé Secretary of Agriculture to have 
Mr. Koebele sent, placing the entire appropriation at the Secretary’s 
disposal. To this proposition the Secretary assented on condition that 
Mr. Koebele should go under instructions from the Department, his 
salary as an agent of the Division of Entomology being continued (his 
expenses only to be paid by the State Board of Horticulture), and that 
his report should be made to the Department of Agriculture, the desire 
being to codperate as far as possible with the Board. Accordingly, 
such instructions were given as seemed best to promote the object in 
view, cautioning Mr. Koebele particularly to run no risk, in his send- 
ings from Australia, of importing with the beneficial insects any inju-. 
rious species not now existing in the United States which it might prove 
disastrous to introduce, and taking advantage of the occasion also to 
have him make every effort to collect in California certain beneficial 
species to take with him to Australasia, indicating such species as prey 
upon cosmopolitan insects or species which the colonies mentioned have 
derived from America. Mr. Koebele sailed on the August steamer, 
Stopping at Honolulu and Auckland, and arriving at Sydney the latter 
part of October. At Honolulu he left a number of living specimens of 
Chilocorus bivulnerus in the hands of our correspondent, Mr. A. Jaeger, 
and secured while there four species of Lady-birds of which he sent 
small numbers to California by steamer. These were sent for use 
against the Black Scale (Lecanium olew). He also found a few par- 
asitic Chalcidide on an undetermined Lecanium, and of these he also 
sent afew specimens. Upon his arrival in New Zealand some of the 
Lady-birds which he had taken with him were alive and began to 
feed at once upon Woolly Aphis. Some Syrphus Flies and Lace- 
wing Flies were also in good condition, as were also the larve of 
the Rhaphidia which feeds upon the Codling Moth. These were left in 
competent charge. Specimens of Scymnus acceptus, S. consor, S. villosus, 
| 163 
