152 



SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



Three examples of 0. pygmoea were also beaten at Hambantota 

 from jungle scrub ; two of these pitched on the upper surface of 

 Capparis leaves, and I noticed that they settled on the leaf with 

 outspread wings, then gave a rapid upward jerk with the forewings 

 and settled down again quite quietly with wings outspread and 

 closely appressed to the surface of the leaf. 



In Europe, however, their habits are rather better known, and the 

 following summary is translated from Dr. Hofmann's account of the 

 Orneodidae of the Palaearctic region ("Iris," vol. XL, pp. 342-343) 

 in the hope that it may assist local collectors in elucidating the life- 

 histories of some of these little moths in Ceylon : — 



" The larvae of all the species, so far as they are known, live in the 

 inside of parts of plants, either in the flowers whose filaments and 



Figure 1. 



Omeo3ii <£ftll tti ocaluosa Columbaria, 

 (after Howarl— Narcel/ia IV. 33. J 



styles they consume, or in flower-stalks, branches, and young shoots, 

 in which their presence forms gall-like swellings. 



' Hitherto only the plant-genera Lonicera, Scabiosa, and Slachys 

 are known to be food plants of Orneodid larvae. 



" The eggs, as has been directly observed in the case of O. hexa- 

 dactyla, and highly probably in the case of other species also, are 



laid on the particular parts of the plants, an introduction of 



the egg into the interior of the plant not being possible owing to the 

 soft condition of the short and thick female ovipositor. The young 

 larvae must therefore first penetrate into their food plant from the 

 outside. 



" The larvae living in flowers change their dwelling several times. 

 In general the larvae are slow and sluggish, and move around more 

 smartly only before pupation. Notwithstanding their concealed 

 mode of life, they are frequented not rarely by small Ichneumon 

 flies and Tachinids. 



