378 Annals of the South. African Muscwn. 



indications of an undefined darker discal spot at f, ; very undefined 

 dots of dark fuscous irroration round posterior part of costa and 

 termen : cilia ochreous-grey-whitish with two fuscous shades, 

 towards base sprinkled with dark fuscous. Hindwings light fuscous; 

 cilia pale greyish-ochreous tinged with fuscous. 



Cape Colony, Table Mountain (Lounsbury) ; four specimens. 

 Mr. Lounsbury sends the following particulars of the very interesting 

 and quite exceptional larval habits of this insect : " The larvae 

 produce what are known in these parts as ' Jumping Beans ' ; they 

 are formed in the leaves and young stems of BJtns glauca ; when the 

 larva is full-grown the ' Bean ' separates from the plant-tissue that 

 confines it, and this tissue ruptures irregularly ; then by the 

 persistent struggles of the larva the ' Bean ' becomes dislodged and 

 falls to the ground, where it jumps about in a striking manner ; 

 sometimes in the case of caged specimens this jumping continues 

 for six weeks or more. The ' Beans ' are found during November, 

 but pupation does not seem to take place till February, the moths 

 emerging towards the end of March. The insect pupates inside the 

 ' Bean,' and the moth escapes through a neatly cut circular aperture 

 at one end. The larva is subject to the attack of two or more 

 parasites. I am, I believe, the first to rear this moth, though the 

 ' Jumping Bean ' is well known." 



Mr. Lounsbury sent also examples of the " beans " themselves ; as 

 explained above, these are not really beans or fruits, and must not be 

 compared with the so-called " jumping beans " from Mexico ; they 

 are regular oval cases, receptacles, or cocoons, of a pinkish-ochreous 

 colour, measuring about 6 mm. x 4 mm., with a finely vermiculated 

 surface, and show no silk in their construction, being apparently 

 composed of a substance deposited in a semifluid condition, and 

 subsequently hardened by drying into a thin shell or w^all. When 

 the moth is to emerge, one end of this is sliced off quite neatly and 

 evenly, perhaps by some special apparatus in the pupa. The whole 

 phenomenon is very singular, and needs further investigation and 

 explanation. 



Melasina stibakodes, n, sp. 

 $ ? . 21-25 mm. Head, palpi, thorax, and abdomen densely 

 hairy with mixed fuscous and whitish hairs ; head small, palpi short, 

 thorax and abdomen broad and robust. Antennae fuscous, in S 

 lined with white, pectinations in 3 4. Forewings elongate, 

 moderate, slightly dilated, costa gently arched, apex rounded, 

 termen obliquely rounded ; 7 and 8 sometimes stalked ; pale 



