T H E T AS M A NIA N N ATU R A LI ST. 
53 
Mycetozoa is a peculiar group of small plants which, in the vegeta¬ 
tion stage, appear as colorless masses of jelly of no definite shape, 
which travel about and behave very much as an animal would ; but 
when they wish to produce spores they assume a plant condition very 
similar in appearance to a fungus ; commonly a little stalk, under an 
inch high, with a knob full of spores at the top. Mycetozoa may be 
considered plants or animals, as you wish. 
Ferns may be considered in the middle of the sub kingdom, and 
there is much to be gained by studying them first. They will therefore 
be made the subject of the next article. 
On some Casmanian Cave-Jnbabiting Beetles. 
By ARTHUR M. LKA, K.E.S. 
LiN other parts of the world, and notably in Europe, numerous 
it cave inhabiting, and frequently blind, beetles are known. But 
hitherto no such species have been recorded from Australia I am 
unaware as to whether other entomologists than myself have systematic¬ 
ally searched for such beetles in Australia ; but l have searched for them 
on every available opportunity, and in caves in Western Australia 
(Busselton district), New South Wales (Jenolan), and Tasmania (one of 
the Mole Creek Caves and Gunn’s Plains Caves near Ulverstone). Early 
in last December, however, 1 had the pleasure, in company with Mr. 
John O. Dawson of the Ida Bay Coal Mining Company, of taking two 
undoubted species of cave beetles in the Ida Bay Caves. These both 
belong to the Carabidte ; a third species, belonging to the D asc ill idee, was 
taken, but is almost certainly not a true cave inhabitant, although it was 
taken in such numbers as to preclude the idea of its being there by 
accident. Mr. Dawson also obtained remains of a species apparently 
allied to the one here described as Idacarabus flavipes , but unfortunately 
with all its appendages missing. He has, however, promised to keep a 
look out for cave insects whenever he visits the caves, so that specimens 
of this species may be forthcoming later on. 
Last December also Mr. R. A. Black visited Scott’s Caves (one of 
the Mole Creek Caves), and obtained in them seven specimens belonging 
to one of the Cryptophagidce . 
There can thus be described two species of true cave beetles, and 
two others which resort to caves in numbers; whilst a fifth is known, but 
from a very imperfect specimen. In the Jenolan Caves, in bats’ drop¬ 
pings, numerous elytra of a common introduced beetle (Ptinus fur) were 
obtained, but these had probably passed through the bats, as no whole 
specimens, either living or dead, were obtained. 
