27 
ranch, and together we proceeded to that place the following day,, 
arriving in time to spend about two hours in examining the orchards 
where a number of Australian insects had been liberated last year. I 
had visited the place during September of last year and all the four 
species above-mentioned were found breeding upon Lecanium olece upon 
olive trees. At this visit but three of the species were met with, Orcus 
chalybeus, which was abundant last year, was, strange to say, not 
observed at all. 
Orcus australasice Boisd. 
This was present in large numbers at Mr. Cooper's ranch," and was 
feeding upon the Olive Scale. The species is well established at this 
place, having spread over a large field, and might be introduced upon 
the Bed Scale with good results. The colonies we have had at Ala- 
meda and Hayward's last year appear to have perished. Large num- 
bers of their larvae were present at the beginning of this year at both 
places. In my yard at Alameda they fed upon the Pernicious Scale 
(Aspidiotus pemiciosus), and larvae of the second brood were noticed up 
to the end of February, 1893, after which all traces of the insect were 
lost. At Hayward's larvae were noticed in numbers during November, 
1892, from beetles liberated in August. Here also I am unable to find 
any traces of them at present. I have, through private correspondence^ 
received this insect again this spring from Australia, and from these I 
have larvae of all sizes at present feeding upon A. perniciosus and A 
eamellice (= A. rapax) and a number have assumed the pupa state. 
Orcus chalybeus Boisd. 
The colony at Los Angeles upon the Eed Scale is doing well, but I 
expected to see them in larger numbers from the conditions observed 
during September of last year. At Mr. Cooper's place, where the same 
insect was breeding so nicely during September, 1892, upon the Olive 
Scale, not a trace could be discovered daring the two hours at my dis- 
posal. I never expected to see this beetle breed upon Lecanium in this 
country, as in no instance were they observed doing so in their native 
home. It would be still more curious, however, if this insect, after 
breeding so successfully during one season upon Lecanium olece, and 
having increased to such large numbers as it had, should entirely dis- 
appear. The probabilities are that the insect is still present in the 
orchard, and that before long they will be noticed again at their bene- 
ficial work. In Australia the insect is doing remarkably good work in 
freeing the trees of Bed Scale, while on myrtle it is also rarely found 
feeding upon CMonaspis eugenice Mask. 
Rhizobius ventralis Er. 
On my visit to Santa Barbara during September of last year, I found 
this insect on the increase, and expected that they would soon become 
numerous. I have been more than pleased, on this last visit, to find 
