Api-U, 1903.1 g]^ 



[The moth is very like tlie male S. popu/i in colour, but its fore-wiiigs are rather 

 more narrow and straight, and tlie two transverse lines very straight and oblique. 

 There is no trace of the red patch on the iiind-wings. The pupa very thick and 

 robiisl, its surface shining, and with little sculpture except a band of pitting along 

 the front margin of each segment ; colour red-brown ; creniaster very short and 

 blunt, finished off with two short black points.] 



Nudaurelia menippe, Felder. — " This one Harry spied hanging to a tuft of 

 grass by the roadside, as he and his father were driving. Anotlier was brought up 

 by some children from near the river, and came to me dangling by the wings in the 

 fingers of a little boy — reduced almost to a skeleton! I have a very interesting 

 specimen come out, and I send a painting of the larva. The chrysalis is very much 

 like that of Qi/nanisa Maia — smooth and black. You may judge how pleased I am 

 to see this one ajjpear. 1 have hat! the pupa over six mouths — probably eight. 

 Larvae were given to me at Umtata, but some of them were found at a farm further 

 away. Their colour varies, tliey look fleshy and shining, and tlie little spikes look 

 like polished black-lead. Food Black Wattle. The moth emerges in November, 

 and I now find that the larger darker-coloured larvas produce females. The 

 chrysalides were partly buried, or in some cases simply lying upon the surface of 

 the earth, with the cast skin just slipped off, close by." 



[Tiiis larva is something of a monster— four to five inches long, the segments 

 plump and well divided ; head rounded, chocolate-red, the mouth black, and a 

 transverse black band across the top ; body pale or dark chocolate-red, each segment 

 furnished with a transverse row of thick thorn-like pointed black spikes ; segmental 

 divisions shaded witli black; beneath the spiracles is an irregular longitudinal black 

 stripe ; legs black ; i)roleg8 chocolate-red, blotched with black. The pupa is large 

 and very thick, its texture coarse and quite dull from minute and exceedingly thick 

 granulated sculpture ; segments even coarser than the rest, and sharply ridged at 

 both front and himl margins, spiracles black and prominent; creniaster a thick 

 conical black spike. In the ground, ontii-ely without cocoon. The moth is a grand 

 creature, over five inches in expanse ; its antenna' black, broadly pectinated in the 

 male ; thorax rich orange-red, with a white bar across the collar ; wings all paler 

 red or terra-cotta, with the first and second lines white ; and in the middle of each 

 a large round blue-black spot, ringed with white and enclosing a hyaline space ; 

 hinti marginal area of all the wings dusted with black.] 



Lasiucampa Rennei, Dewitz. — " The first larva was found up a tree over the 

 river on Christmas day, and I afterwards found another by seeing a shed skin under 

 a tree at the same place. The first fed up on Induba leaves, shed its skin several 

 times, and buried. It was in the ground all the winter, and the moth emerged as 

 you see (somewhat cripplcil). I gave it plenty of time to spread and dry its wings, 

 and a twig to hang from, but it only huddled itself into a corner. The other larva 

 was fed for months, but died after shedding a skin. I have since had two large 

 ones brought in, but they would not feed, and died. I am sending a painting of the 

 larva, but its hair does not look silky enough, it should be like the first hair of a baby. 

 It seems only to be found singly. I think that it remains in the tree, and does not 

 avoid the daylight — though I found one low down, under a tree, after rain. I have 

 specially packed the cocoon, for the spines remain with you several days if you are 

 not careful." 



