THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 137 



little time was spent in selecting plants of several varieties of ferns 

 for home cultivation. As Ghichenia Jlabellata was known to have 

 been found here, a search was made, and at last our botanist was 

 rewarded with the sight of its graceful fronds. The evening was 

 now coming on, so we started towards Lilydale, passing through a 

 good thicket of Melaleuca squarrosa on the way. We got back 

 almost to the township before dark, and catching the 8.40 p.m. 

 train, left Lilydale and its pretty surroundings behind, on the 

 whole well satisfied with the day's outing. — F. G. A. Barnard. 



LIFE-HISTORIES OF TWO VICTORIAN HESPERID.E. 



By Geo. Lyell, jun. 

 (Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria^ liith January, 1899.) 



The following notes upon the life-histories of two of our Vic- 

 torian butterflies, known as " Skippers," have been handed me by 

 my friend Mr. E. Jarvis, of Monbulk, Dandenong Ranges, in the 

 hope that they may be of some use to members of this club in 

 throwing light on a much -vexed question. The idea that 

 Hesperilla ornata, Leach, and H. perornata, Kirby, would prove 

 to be varieties of the one species was, as he supposes, caused by 

 the type-specimens of //. perornata (from my own collection) 

 being poor ones. Since we have secured series of both species 

 their distinction from each other is generally acknowledged. This 

 record of the ova and larvae of both species will be of very general 

 interest to entomologists. 



Mr. Jarvis says: — "My object in forwarding these notes 

 on the habits and colouration of Hesperilla perornata is to 

 afford conclusive proof to Australian entomologists that Hes]>er- 

 illa ornata, Leach, and Hesperilla perornata, Kirby, are distinct 

 species. 



Some doubt seems to exist about the relations of the above 

 insects, but it is to be hoped that the following notes will set the 

 matter at rest. Mr. Kirby, on examination of a female of H. 

 perornata, assigned to the insect a specific distinction. Messrs. 

 Anderson and Spry, ' Handbook of Victorian Lepidoptera,' 

 however, incline to the opinion that it is merely a variety of 

 H. ornata, which opinion was resultant on an examination of a 

 female specimen only, and that possibly not in the best condition. 

 Had they seen both sexes, and a good series of specimens, it is 

 highly probable their opinion would liave agreed with that of Mr. 

 Kirby. The arguments in favour of the belief in H. perornata 

 being a variety, if any such really exist, appear to be — firstly, that 

 it has been taken flying in company with //. ornata, ; and secondly, 

 that the colouration of the female in both insects is nearly alike. 

 It does not seem strange to me that two allied species, of very 

 much the same local distribution, should be found flying together 

 where their common food plant (the Cladium) grows. Are there 



