1903.] E. P. Stebbing— Moth Duomitus leuconotus, Walker. 127 



Madras, and exhibited to the Members present at the meeting species of that 

 insect. I pointed out that the habits of the Indian members of the family 

 Arbelidse, and its large and closely related family Cossidae were almost 

 unknown, neither the larvae, which are wood feeders and live in trees, nor 

 pupae of the greater number of described species being known. Since 

 that meeting I have been able to carry out a series of observations 

 on the life-history of a member of the Cossidae, a family known to many in 

 England owing to the abundance of the common red Goat moth caterpillar 

 which riddles elms and willows throughout the country. In India the 

 life-histories of two representatives of the family are known owing to their 

 economic importance. These are Duomitus nigar the 'Black borer, ' and 

 Zeuzera coffese the Red ' borer ' of the Planters in Southern India. 

 Both are pests in coffee plantations. The moth whose life-history this 

 paper deals with bears the name of Duomitus leuconotus, Wlk., and 

 specimens of the various stages in its life-history have been already ex- 

 hibited to Members. 



The paper points out that the measurements of the Calcutta 

 specimens of the moth taken this year differ from those given in 

 Hampson's Moths in the Fauna of British India, males in the case of the 

 Calcutta specimens, being as much as 28 millims less than the sizes 

 quoted by Hampson, whilst in the females the disparity is very much 

 greater, the smallest female measured having a wing expanse of 103 mil- 

 lims less. Technical descriptions are given of the larva and pupa which, 

 it is believed, have never before been figured or described. 



The moths appear on the wing in the latter half of September, 

 and are to be found during the remainder of that month and up to about 

 the third week in October. They are extremely sluggish during the 

 daytime but are exceptionally powerful fliers at night. The c? lives 

 but a few days and dies after pairing with the $ . The latter lays 

 eggs shortly after pairing and dies as soon as she has finished ovi- 

 positing. The eggs are laid on the bark. The larvae on hatching 

 out bore into the tree and spend this stage of their existence tunnel- 

 ling in and feeding on the wood. It is probable that nearly two years, 

 if not more, are passed in this stage. When full fed the larva carries its 

 tunnel to the outside, eating through the bark and ejecting the wood 

 refuse so that the latter part of its tunnel is quite clean, the rest being 

 blocked by its excrement and wood particles. Having thus provided 

 for the escape of the pupa it backs down its tunnel for about 3 inches 

 and pupates. A short time only is spent in this stage. When the moth 

 is ready to emerge, the pupa wriggles up the tunnel to the outside 

 until it projects half of its length beyond the bark. The pupal skin 

 then splits down anteriorly and the moth crawls out. 



