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46 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST, 
the end of the tube, which made me think it had settled 
down for the winter; but in a few days it emerged again 
and appeared just as lively as the rest. Since then they 
have eaten 4 Codlin Moth larvie each, and haye de- 
veloped to such an extent that they are considerably 
larger than any I have taken jn the bush. This carries 
me far enough to link on to the life-history, as observed 
in the bush, the last two years, when I collected speci- 
mens in September, which had already spun their cocoons 
and entered the quiescent stage. They remained as per- 
fect larvee until February, when they entered the pupal 
stage. These specimens hatched during March and early 
in April, but the chief part of the pupae collected later 
hatched in April, which seems to be the main hatching 
month. Like Psychopsis Newmani, these insects emerge 
from their cocoon in a nymph form, and sometimes run 
about freely for half a day before they break through 
and cast off their final pupal skin. Normal length of 
larvee, when full-grown, 34 to % of an inch. Although 
the eggs laid in captivity were not stalked, I think pro- 
bably they would be when laid in the open, ‘as the female 
appears to be provided with cerci, to enable her to do so. 
I have given these notes for the benefit of fellow-members, 
in the hope that it will stimulate others to take up the 
work; and I would like to ask any members who may col- 
lect the larvee of any of these insects in their different 
localities, and who may not be in a position to develop 
them themselves, to kindly forward them along to my ad- 
dress—L. Gallard, Pembroke Street, Epping. 
NOTES ON ANTS’-NEST BEETLES. 
By E. H. Zeck. 
Whilst collecting ants’-nest beetles at Kuringai, on 
June 29th, 1914, [ took Hetutommiphila opaca, Lea, and a 
number of Chlamydopsis epipleuralis, Lea. These beetles 
belong to the Family Histeridw, and are extremely rare. 
E. opaca was not known until about three years ago, when 
it was first collected at National Park by Mr. W. Du Bou- 
lay. This beetle has only been found in the nests of 
Ectatomma metallicum. CO. epipleuralis was found in the 
nests of Inidomyrmex gracilis. 
Nothing is known about the life histories of either of 
these beetles, but they are thought to be carnivorous. 
Among other species taken were, in the nests of 
Ponera lutea; Family Pselaphidw, 7mesiphorus formicinus, 
