THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 61 



decided markings and vivid orange underwings of the male seem 

 so distinct that apparently it would require some very exceptional 

 and abnormal leaves to in any way match it ; but when at rest 

 the orange underwings are folded beneath the forevvings and 

 concealed, while the insect avoids green leaves, settling down 

 either amid dead leaves on the ground, or on some broken branch 

 having withered, discoloured leaves. In these situations it easily 

 escapes notice. The female also hides the underwings, and the 

 forewings being without the bar across, and speckled all over, 

 assimilate even more closely with the cover selected. 



PHALLARIA OPHIUSARIA, GN. 



This species differs both in appearance and habits from the 

 preceding one. The colouration is more subdued, nor is there 

 so marked a difference between the sexes. The method of resting 

 is also dissimilar, as this species rests with the underwings almost 

 entirely exposed. The protective resemblance possessed by the 

 insect is, however, fully equal to that of G. henricaria, and, like it, 

 it is leaf-like, only, in place of representing a portion of a leaf, 

 P. ojyhiusaria resembles an entire leaf. 



Whilst collecting at Spring Vale during the month of March I 

 disturbed a female of this species from a dead branch of a small 

 gum tree growing in the heath ground. It was easily captured, 

 flying in a bewildered sort of manner, and finally pitching down 

 amid the scrub a short distance away. From this I obtained ova, 

 which were globular and of a dull greenish-white. On the 23rd 

 they slightly changed colour, and hatched on the 30th. The 

 young larvse were very dark brown, almost black, the head look- 

 ing very large and disproportionate. As Meyrick mentions 

 Leptospermum as a probable food, and as the moth was found in 

 a locality where that plant largely prevails, I put them on that 

 food, but took the precaution to also introduce some tender 

 eucalyptus shoots. This was fortunate, for they would have 

 nothing to do with the Leptospermum, but took readily enough 

 to the othtr, at once attacking the edges of the leaves instead of 

 gnawing the epidermis or eating round holes, as most young 

 larvae do. 



They fed by night only, resting straiglit out from the food and 

 motionless by day. They grew very slowly, being in marked 

 contrast to G. henricaria larvge. By 25th May, nearly two 

 months after hatching, they were only just over an inch long. 

 However, though slow, they fed steadily enough throughout the 

 winter months, and in another three months — that is, by the end 

 of August — some were a large size. They always went down to 

 the debris at bottom of the cage when about to change their 

 skins, an operaticn taking some days to complete. It was not 

 until the end of October that they began to pupate, forming a 



