and continually dipping the tip of the body into the water; these 
are busy laying their eggs in the habitat best suited for the 
young. Others will crawl beneath the water and deposit their 
eggs in the stems of weeds. 
Lace-wings and Ant-lions 
RARELY, in the early evening, we may encounter some of the 
larger lace-wings or ant-lions hawking in a similar manner 
to dragon-flies. It is to the larvae of these insects that the name 
of “ant-lion” more strictly applies, for they have the habit of 
constructing an inverted cone in the sand, at the bottom of which 
they lie buried but on the look-out for any unwary insects which 
may fall into the trap. These pits may be found by careful 
search. In the day-time the adults of some of these may be 
observed resting on palings and so on. One fairly common one, 
Acanthaclisis fundata, is about three inches long, greyish, and 
rests with its long wings folded roof-wise. 
Their lesser relatives, the true lace-wings (species of 
Chrysopa ) are abundant on the shrubs and can easily be recog- 
nized by their roof-like green gauzy wings and golden eyes. 
The grubs of these do not make pits but forage freely on the 
bushes for aphides and other small insect prey. The cast skins 
of the larvae are carried about on their backs and thus serve 
as a protection against their enemies. 
Beetles 
"PHESE are common almost anywhere, in the herbage, under 
loose eucalypt bark and stones, and in many other places. 
Under the bark, examples of the Longicorns ( Phorcicantha and 
allies) with their very long antennae are sure to be discovered. 
Similarly will be found some of the Click Betles (Elaterids), 
so called because of their habit of leaping up with a clicking 
noise when placed upon their backs. Ground beetles ( Carabidae, 
Tenebrionidae ) of quite a variety of species occur, while on 
warm, damp evenings large numbers of Chafers fly about, some 
of the larger ones, Christmas Beetles, being of a beautiful golden 
colour. Sweeping of the herbage and teatree flowers with a net 
is sure to yield many of the fine and varied coloured Jewel 
Beetles (Buprestidae) , the grubs of which are largely timber 
borers with a very much larger head and thorax than body. 
Lastly, the carefui searching of ants’ nests under stones will 
produce some very curiously built species, although mostly 
rather small in size. 
Pag e S even ty-eig h # 
