460 SUMMARY OF CUKRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Influence of Coloured Light on Butterflies." — J. Pereiraz and 

 Koehler have experimented with caterpillars of the small tortoiseshell 

 butterfly, which were placed in black, violet, blue, orange, and red sur- 

 roundings. Those in a violet box showed great mortality ; only a few 

 reached the pupa stage. In the blue box there was also considerable 

 mortality, but not so much. In the orange and red boxes there was 

 little disturbance. 



Violet light, when not fatal, accelerates the metamorphosis. Blue 

 light comes next. Those subjected to red and orange rays are smaller 

 than those which have lived under blue or violet. The violet environ- 

 ment appears to induce more vivid coloration. 



South African Bag-worms.f — Ernest "Warren explains that " bag- 

 worms " do not form a natural group of insects ; they belong to several 

 families of moths ; the name refers to the habit the larvae have of 

 forming a case or bag in which they live during their active life and 

 pupation. Certain marked resemblances in structure and instinct are 

 observed, and investigation is necessairy to determine whether these are 

 due to phylogenetic relationship or are examples of convergence arising 

 through like needs imposed by similar environment. Some of the bag- 

 worms, like that which attacks the exotic Black Wattle, are very im- 

 portant economically. 



A. J. T. Janse J deals with bagworms included in the families 

 Psychid^e and Cossidte, and describes two new species of Acanthopsyche, 

 one of Psyche, one of GymneUma, and one of TricJiocossus. The larvae of 

 Psychidse live in their little dwellings from the time they emerge from 

 the egg until they are mature ; the females, which are wingless, remain 

 in the bag, and may even deposit their eggs therein. Most lepidop- 

 terists rank Psychidge near Cossidse, and there must also be a close re- 

 lationship with certain groups of Tineidse. Janse removes Epichnopteryx 

 and Fumea from the Psychidaj, because in both genera the hind-legs 

 have well-developed middle spurs, which are absent, or at the most very 

 rudimentary, in all true Psychida;. 



E. Meyrick § describes some new Tineid bagworms, Fumea ohscu- 

 rata sp. n., and four new species of Melasma ; also among the Adelidse, 

 Ceromitia xanthocoma sp. n. 



C. C. Hardenberg || gives a general sketch of the life-history of bag- 

 worms. The first care of the larva is to make its home of small pieces 

 of leaf and the like, woven together with silk, or sometimes glued. The 

 cases are protective, and often extraordinarily like the surroundings. 

 The young larvse are dull grey to dark brown, with a relatively strong 

 thorax, and a dorsally flexed abdomen. The inside of the bag is kept 

 very clean. Excessive moisture is rapidly fatal, inducing a bacterial 

 disease. When the time for pupation approaches, the larva seeks a safe 



* Ann. Sci. Phys. Nat., xliii. (1917) p. 339. See Rev. G6n. Sci., xxviii. (1917) 

 p. 358. 



t Ann. Natal Museum, iii. (1917) pp. 587-8. 



t Ann. Natal Museum, iii. (1917) pp. 589-614 (1 pi). 



^ Ann. Natal Museum, iii. (1917) pp. 63 5-8. 



II Ann. Natal Museum, iii. (1917) pp. 619-86 (3 pis. and 6 figs.). 



