THE WATTLE GOAT MOTH. 109 



interesting to watch these tiny creatures attacking a moth 

 which is incapable of flight ; they commence by biting off 

 the tarsi or feet, then the antennae and points of the 

 wings, and when the unfortunate moth is quite disabled 

 and helpless commence to explore its interior which they 

 eat out whilst the poor insect is still living. It is unfor- 

 tunate that this moth should have a most inappropriate 

 specific name as it does not attack eucalypti or gum 

 trees, but feeds almost entirely on the wood of the black 

 wattle (A. decur?'ens), which, as is well known, is one of the 

 most valuable of our barks for tannin purposes. 



Prevention and Remedies. 



As showing the necessity for endeavouring to keep 

 this serious pest within reasonable bounds, I cannot do 

 better than again quote from the Prodromus in which 

 Professor McCoy says — " Considering the great impor- 

 tance attached lately by the Government to the preser- 

 vation and cultivation of the wattle or acacia trees, and 

 the great and increasing annual money value of the bark, 

 it is important for bark-strippers and the persons employed 

 by the Government to foster the growth of the wattles 

 to know the appearance of the insect reproduced on our 

 plate as the greatest destroyer of these trees, so that 

 attention may be given to killing the perfect moth ; the 

 large abdomen of which is distended with millions of eggs, 

 each of which may produce a voracious grub as thick as 

 the thumb and 5 or 6 inches Ions;, eatino; the timber for 

 years." 



The best time to examine these trees when in a planta- 

 tion is when the tree is young, and if the holes are 

 detected the larvae may be reached with a piece of wire 

 dipped in carbolic acid, and thrust as far down the hole as 

 possible. It is very doubtful whether in this case spray- 

 ing would be of much use, the best plan I have yet seen 

 for the destruction of caterpillars in the interior of the 

 tree is undoubtedly that of hot steam projected with great 

 force by means of a small portable engine, and this process 



