BY W. W. FROGGATT. 379 



Leto stacyi, Scott. 



As Mr. A. Sidney OUiff has given a detailed description of this 

 beautiful moth ("Notes on Zelotyjna Stacyi, and an Account of 

 a Variety." Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., ii. ser. 2, p. 469, 1887), I 

 confine my remarks to several points passed over by him, or diffe- 

 rences in habits as compared with the genus Eudoxyla. 



The larva, wliich has been watched for six years, does not bore 

 upwards like the members of the preceding genus, but after eating 

 out the bark in front of the place where it intends to make its 

 bore, it covers the cavity with a fine bag or web of silk covered 

 with small bits of bark, boring into the centre of the trunk, and 

 then turning downwards towards the roots. 



It feeds on the stem of the " Grey Gum," which, from speci- 

 mens obtained from Mr. Thornton, has been identified by Mr. 

 R. T. Baker, of the Technological Museum, as E. resinifera. Mr. 

 Olliff states that the Grey Gum upon which it is found is E. 

 tereticornis. Mr. Thornton says that, unlike any of the other 

 larvte, it strictly confines itself to one species of Eucalypt. Hence 

 there would appear to be some slight mistake ; though it may be 

 that it attacks both trees. 



The larva changes into the chrysalid in December, after having 

 eaten off the web in front of the bore, and placed a thick felty 

 wad or button just inside the opening of the bore ; but as soon as 

 the chrysalid skin has become hard and firm, it pushes the wad 

 away and moves freely up and down the bore, which varies in 

 depth from 10-12 inches. It can move up and down the passage 

 very rapidly, the curious file-like rings on the lower edge of the 

 abdominal segments being evidently adapted to helping its loco- 

 motion. When nearly mature it has the habit, particularly in 

 the afternoons, of resting in the bore with the top of its head just 

 level with the floor of the cross-bore, and plainly visible from the 

 outside. The moths first appear early in March. Mr. Thornton 

 has found that they never come out after three o'clock in the 

 afternoon ; and clirysnlids under observation if not out at that 



