33 



shrinking. By this means a number of the moths were reared 

 during d'ctober, and they proved to belong to the Phycitidaj, a 

 family of Lepidoptera containing a large number of species 

 which in their larval state are internal feeders, and nearly related 

 to certain species included in Zeller's genus Epicrocis. In general 

 form, and in its habits, the Gosford moth also greatly resembles 

 a species {Magiria robrista, Mre.*) from Ceylon, observed by 

 Dr. Thwaites feeding within " branchlets of mahogany," but as 

 it appears to differ in certain points from this species and from 

 Epicrocis patulalis, Wlk., the form which it most nearly 

 approaches, I have ventured to characterize it under the name 

 Epicrocis terebrans. From the latest account (13th January) it 

 appears that the pest is gradually disappearing from the Nursery. 

 Mr. McCoig reports that it is now very scarce, and that no 

 opportunity of destroying the larva? is neglected. 



Epicrocis, Zell. 

 The species here characterized as Epicrocis terebrans is in my 

 opinion congeneric with E. sublignalis, Wlk. {E. strigiferella 

 Meyr.), and E . mesembrina, Meyr., as it agrees in every particular 

 with specimens of those species kindly identified by Mr. E. 

 Meyrick. In one important point, however, none of these species 

 a-n-ee with Mr. Meyrick's descriptions! of Epicrocis or the allied 

 genera, inasmuch as the hindwings are provided with 7nne 

 (see pi ii , fig. 3) instead of eight veins, a condition which 

 appears to be unusual in the Phycitida?. There is no doubt of 

 the accuracy of the observation, as I have made a microscopical 

 examination of the wings of the three species mounted m oil ot 

 cloves, a proceeding I venture to think which might be followed 

 by lepidopterists with advantage in cases where the venation is 

 difficult to follow. 



Fam. PHYCITIDiE. 

 Epicrocis terebrans, sp. n. 

 ^ ? . Head dull reddish-ochreous ; thorax and abdomen 

 "reyish-ochreous, the former paler in front. Labial palpi whitish, 

 fnclining to fuscous externally, not reaching above upper margin 

 of eye Antennas brownish-ochreous, very finely ciliated, basal 

 joint large, thickly clothed with scales. Forewing elongate 

 moderately broad, dilated, greyish-ochreous, suffused on disc and 

 on inner margin with brownish-fuscous, thickly clothed with 

 white scales near anterior margin and towards apex from basal 

 two-thirds, and dusted with fuscous and dull carmine scales ; an 



* Moor^epidoptera of Ceylon, iii., p. 365, pi. 184, fig. 4 <?, 4a larva, 

 (1887). 



fProc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, vii., p. 157 (1883), and Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 Lond., 1887, p. 257. 



