270 ERNEST WARREN. 



I am mucli indebted to Mr. C. B. Hardenberg, Grovernment 

 Kntomologist, Natal, for a supply of pupa3 of Mel an oc era 

 menippe bred at New Hanover, Natal, and for other 

 specimens; also for kind assistance and co-operation. 



The larvae of menippe are found on Ficus cordata Thh., 

 and Mr. Hardenberg's caterpillars, obtained from the eggs of 

 several moths, were fed on the same plant. With a view to 

 discover a potential wattle pest Mr. Hardenberg experi- 

 mented with the wattle foliage and found that the older 

 larvae would eat it, but that the newly hatched caterpillars 

 were unable to do so. About fifty newly hatched larva? were 

 supplied with leaves of the wattle; some refused to feed, 

 while others nibbled a little, but all the individuals died in 

 the course of several days. 



The change of environment due to domestication or to the 

 slightly different climatic conditions of Pietermaritzburg and 

 New Hanover would appear to have, however, an influence on 

 the larvEe in this connection, as the following experience 

 indicates. 



On pairing a male and female menippe, obtained from the 

 puptebred by Mr. Hardenberg, fertile eggs were laid, and the 

 larv^ on hatching were mostly placed on the leaves of Ficus 

 cordata. A few (some seven in fact) were placed on the 

 leaves of the Black Wiittle ; but from Hardenberg's experi- 

 ment it was confidently expected that they would refuse to 

 feed. On the conti^ary, however, those placed on the wattle 

 grew much more quickly and appeared healthier than 

 those on Ficus cordata. Of sixty-three larvfe placed on 

 Ficus forty-four gradually died in the course of three 

 weeks, although they were supplied with both young and 

 tender leaves, and with older leaves, and were carefully 

 attended to. The remaining nineteen scarcely grew at all, 

 and, as it was anticipated that all would die, the food was 

 changed to wattle. In the next few days eight died, but the 

 i-emaining eleven soon assumed a more healthy aspect and 

 began to grow. At the present time (Nov., 1914) these 

 eleven specimens are in a perfectly healthy condition, but not 



