MRTAMORPHOSES OF BRAZILIAN LEPIDOPTERA. 23 



The moth appeared at the be{];inning of November, more 

 than six months after the caterpillar was full-fed. 



Larva. 



Family Psychid^. 



LVIII.— Genus ? 



a, Full- fed, San Paulo, 1882. 

 h, Larva cases. 



c, Web spun by larva when walking over a 

 smooth surface. 



This remarkable caterpillar makes a tapering, conical, 

 almost cylindrical case, in which it spends its life, never 

 under any circumstances leaving this case. It feeds on a 

 variety of plants, and I have found it in great numbers on a 

 species of Mimosa. The case is quite smooth, and without 

 any sticks or bits of leaf, which are employed by most species 

 of this group which have come under my notice. 



The caterpillar often lets itself down by a thread when it 

 wants to move to new feeding-ground. The feeding of all 

 the species of this group that I have observed, appears to be 

 very irregular and intermittent. The caterpillars will some- 

 times secure themselves temporarily by binding the mouth of 

 the case to a twig or a leaf, and remain for several days, or 

 even weeks, without eating ; then they unfasten themselves, 

 and move about and eat. They are full-fed about December, 

 I fancy ; but the exact date is very difficult to ascertain, 

 owing to the above habit of intermittent feeding. The 

 appearance of the caterpillar when walking with the case 

 hanging down from the leaf, and the way in which he sud- 

 denly draws the case over his head, and shuts tight the 

 baggy mouth, when disturbed, are very comical. 



Pupa. Pupation takes place within the case. 



