January, 1938 The Queensland Naturalist 
77 
funicle segments Nos. 1 and 4 square (Nos. 2-3 smallest, 
somewhat wider than long, No. 5 largest, still somewhat 
wider than long). There is a weak, scanty tuft of longish 
hairs upon the base of the abdomen dorso-laterad, the 
second segment occupying practically the whole surface. 
Else the same but the venation pallid dusky. A female 
reared from Lecanium persicae, Perth, W. Australia, L. 
J. Newman. 
NATURE IN RELENTLESS MOOD. 
By J. EDGAR YOUNG. 
Some time ago it was suggested by one or two of our 
members that I might write a commentary in our journal 
on the results to our wild life of various phases of Queens- 
land weather during the latter part of 1936 and early part 
of 1937. 
As this may be useful as a record not merely of the 
weather, but of matters concerning our birds, fish and 
other life, I will endeavour to record briefly the incidents 
as well as I can with the information to hand. 
In the latter half of 1936, owing to the comparative- 
ly poor wet season and following lack of winter rains of 
much value, it was quite natural that the country began 
more and more rapidly to feel the consequences in the 
drying up of grass and water, which caused increasing in- 
convenience to various forms of wild life, forced migra- 
tion being necessary in some cases, and inevitable death in 
others. 
I have two reports from Mrs. L. M. Mayo, one of our 
enthusiastic ornithologists, regarding Lake Clarendon, a 
newly created wild life sanctuary near Gatton. 
The first is one regarding her visit in October, 1936, 
in which she says that the water of the lake — a shallow bed 
— bad at that time greatly receded, and it was difficult to 
get near the birds in the centre, owing to the black, sticky 
mud left on the margin. 
Amongst the birds seen, she mentions the following: 
Nine Egrctta alba , many spurwing, plover with young 
chicks, many white headed stilts, several black s’V' ans, a 
pair of marsh terns, some black ducks, some white-eyed 
ducks, white-necked herons. 
Tringa glareola, and what appeared to be sharp-tailed 
Stints wading in the water, 
