HETEROCERA HEPIALIDAE 



397 



stems. The pupae are also peculiar. They are of unusually 

 elongate, cylindrical form, with comparatively feeble integument, 

 but with a considerable development of chitinous, elevated, toothed 

 ridges, on the dorsal aspect, and a very strong ridge of this kind 

 on the ventral surface of 

 the seventh segment ; the 

 wing-sheaths are short; it 

 is very difficult to distinguish 

 the full number of abdominal 

 segments. These pupae are 

 remarkably agile, and by 

 wriggling and kicking are 

 able to move a considerable 

 distance ; it is said that they 

 can force themselves to the 

 surface even when the super- 

 ficial soil is quite hard. 

 We cannot consider this 

 pupa naturally placed 

 amongst either the pupae 



x3 



Britain. 



obtectae or incompletae of FiG.19S.—'Pn]jaoiNe2)iahislu2mnnv.s. 

 ^, A, Veutral ; B, dorsal aspect. 



Chapman. 



We have already remarked that little is known as to the 

 life-histories. The species are probably prolific, a female of 

 M. thule having been known to deposit more than 2000 eggs. 

 Of the Australian forms little more is known ^ than that they live 

 in the wood of trees and shrubs, and are rapidly disappearing ; 

 we may fear that some are extinct without ever having been 

 discovered, and others, also unknown but still existing, mav 

 disappear only too soon ; the wasteful destruction of timber in 

 Australia having been deplorable. 



The peculiar habits of the Hepialidae are not likely to bring 

 the Insects to the net of the ordinary collector, and we believe 

 they never fly to light, hence it is probable that we are 

 acquainted with only a small portion of the existing species ; 

 their distribution is very wide, but Australia seems to be their 

 metropolis, and in New Zealand twelve species are known. The 

 genera as at present accepted are remarkable for their wide 

 distribution. Leto is said to occur in South Africa and in the 



^ Olliff, Australian H&pialklae, Entomolofjlst, xxviii. 1895, p. 114. 



