Quail. — On Charagia virescens. 251 



only species in New Zealand. The larva appeared to be 

 marked by alternate brown and yellow transverse dorsal lines, 

 with lateral and ventral brown spots, closer examination 

 showing the elevated portions of segments, subsegments, and 

 tubercle areas to be brown, hard, and polished (chitiuous ?), 

 the incisions and ground-colour being vellow. The thoracic 

 segments did not differ so from the normal. This larva, 

 maybe, had retained its juvenile characteristics until a later 

 stage than usual, or it is, perhaps, an exceptional form. In 

 either case it is of considerable interest that a form of Cha- 

 ragia should occur having dorsal and lateral shields on the 

 abdominal segments. Typical Charagia have only the pro- 

 thoracic scutellum hard, the remaining segments being fleshy 

 on the dorsal area. 



In an account of this species it would be unwise not 

 to mention the curious fungus, known commonly as the 

 "vegetable caterpillar " (Cordyceps hugelii, Corda ; Torruba 

 robertsii, Hook.), which has been so commonly associated 

 with the larva of G. virescens. I have examined specimens 

 which retain the tubercles fairly well, and find the arrange- 

 ment to be that of the Hepialidce so far as it can be made 

 out. I agree, however, with Mr. Meyrick — and believe Mr. 

 Hudson has somewhere given the same opinion — that the 

 larva is not C. virescens, which does not leave the larval 

 burrows until emerging as an imago. As far as I know, the 

 host has never been identified ; being subterranean, it is 

 probably of the Porince. 



The larva of C. virescens, when full fed, retires to a vertical 

 burrow, which it seals up transversely with a silken opercu- 

 lum at the entrance. It is not correct, I think, to term this 

 operculum a " trap-door," as I and others have done. The 

 latter name suggests a definite hinged cover, whereas I do not 

 think this to be the case. When the imago has emerged 

 the operculum frequently remains attached at some point 

 to the rim of the burrow. This is not invariably so, but 

 when so attached it is always on that side farthest from the 

 passage used by the pupa, otherwise the operculum might 

 prevent egress. However, this is not an argument in favour 

 of the belief in the trap-door, as the larva might easily pro- 

 vide for contingencies by making the one side weaker than 

 the other at the suture of the operculum and the rim. As 

 a matter of observation and examination, I believe the oper- 

 culum of this species and C. daphnandrce, which makes a 

 similar prepupal operculum transverse to the burrow, is not 

 hinged. G. eximia, another xAustralian species, makes its 

 prepupal cover inner to the external cover, therefore vertical, 

 not horizontal. Incidentally, which is the more ancient 

 method ? 



