IV. — Notes on the great Australian Cossidae 



By K. P. DoiJD. 

 (Planlhks X A XVI) 



For many years I hâve been breeding thèse large moths. In some districts, vvhcrc there are 

 no longer any blacks, the caterpillars hâve greatly increascd in numbers. I undcrstand that 

 X yleittes Eucalyptii, or a closely related species, has become so plentiful in Tasmania that large 

 numbers of Wattle (acacia) trees are killcd by the caterpillars; as a rule vory few trees arc killed 

 through the présence of too man\' larvac, but 1 hâve lately corne across a species which, breeding 

 year after year in the same trees though there are many others close by untouched, has caused 

 several of tlic trees and large branches of others to perish. 



In the districts of Brisbanc i^South Queensland) Tovvnsville, Cairns (PI. A, Carte de l'Aus- 

 tralie), Kuranda & Herberton (North Queensland) and Port-Darwin (N. W. Australia), I hâve 

 altogether bred out about 27 species. Two wcre under 3 inches in expanse, six between 4 and 

 5 inches, and the balance from 5 to 9 34 inches in expansé. I hâve net worked at any time more 

 than 50 miles from the coast, so there may yet be many interesting species to discover in tlu; 

 inland portions of Australia, and also in the south-east, south, and west, where I hâve not been. 



The two smaller species are gregarious, one being in the stems of Loranthiis, the other in 

 the trunks of a GrevilLea. About 20 examples emerged from the former, and, from the latter, 

 I hâve had at least 30 of the moths from one tree. AH the others, with the exception of a plain 

 grey sp. from Port-Darwin, arc solitary in habit, the exception often occurring in small groups of 

 4 or 5 fairly close togethcr, in the large yellow-flowered Eucalyptus there. The Port-Darwin 

 blacks seemed to know absolutely nothing of thèse large caterpillars, and stared open-mouthed 

 at us as we eut down the trees for them, and were astonished when we told them that « Black- 

 fellow alonga Queensland eatum ». Many Australians hâve eaten thèse caterpillars, and al! 

 pronounce them to be quite palatable. 



The Brisbane district is rich in species, some of which are fairly common. Three species 

 there are unusually large, being over 9 inches across, the common and most widely distributed 

 being Xyleules Boisduvali 'PI. XIX, fig. 8 et 9), which is the largest wood moth I know; though 

 I never set one more than 9 3/4 inches across I had one Q which I am sure expanded 10 inches, 

 but being an imperfect spécimen I did not kili. lier. Brisbane district being rich in species 

 of Eucalyptus, and no blacks being there now, accounts for the numbcr of Cossidœ obtainable 

 there, but I dare say there are other localities quite as productive, perhaps more so. 



At Townsville, 900 miles furthcr north, there are still some blacks, but they seem to hâve 

 become so used to the white man's food that caterpillars, which hâve to be eut out of tough 



