66 



RECORDS OK THE ArSTHALIAN MLSEUM. 



dead. The living examples, liowevei', are exceedingly beauti- 

 ful, the cephalothorax being bright, glossy black, the abdomen 

 dull black, but oinamented with a broad silveiv median band 



which i-iiiis nearly the entire length. 



The species disappears altogether during the winter months. 

 Doubtless many die off, whilst others hibernate. The cocoons 

 vary in size from 9 mm., in height and diameter at base to 6.8 

 mm. Tliey are closely woven, sheeny, light coppei'-coloured, 

 and glisten, when exposed to sunlight, like a new copper coin ; 

 each cocoon is soft and cushion-like to the touch, and firmly 

 l)ound to the twn'g to which it i.s attached, by the silk being 

 carried right round it. Within the outer shield thei-e is another 

 cocoon, soft, silky, flocculent, and concoh)rous. Mr. Urquharl 

 describes the egrgs as being spheiical, straw colouied and 

 agglutinated. He also states that the sexes pair in February, 

 March and possibly earlier, and that the cocoons ai-e generally 

 fabi'icated at the ends of manuka twigs. Tlie figure on 

 PI. xvii. is slightly smaller than the original, and the ])lant is 

 certainly not manuka. 



