422 Mr. Ambrose Quail 07i 



with only two species : L. staccyi, Scott, in Australiti, 

 and Z. venus, Cram., in S. Africa; the reverse might be 

 expected, namely, ancient genera disconnected, specialised 

 genera (recent !) connected distribution. If entomologists 

 able to do so would assist with material, I should be 

 glad to work out these seeming anomalies by similar 

 observations to those contained in my notes. 



I take this opportunity of thanking those entomologists 

 who already have kindly supplied me with material, especi- 

 ally Messrs. E. Anderson; G. Lyell, junr., of Victoria; 

 R. Illidge of Queensland, and my friend Mr. Arthur Bacot 

 of London, whose help has been invaluable to me.* 



Motes on Ovx. 



Ova3 of European Ilcpialiis are white, or nearly so, and 

 afterwards bluish-black. 



OviE of New Zealand Porina are cream when laid and 

 afterwards black. 



Ova3 of Australian Charagia are "pale yellow," and 

 afterwards " .slatey grey " (Illidge). 



There is a colour difference between ovse of Hcpiahis 

 and of Cluiragia. 



Notes on LarvR\ 



The study of the habits of the larvfB is very difficult, 

 as they are all either subterranean or internal wood 

 feeders ; it is probably duo to this that very little is known 

 about them. The Australian genera Porma, Walk., Piclus, 

 Walk., Omopera, Walk., Hcctomancs, Meyr., Trietcna, 

 Meyr. , are subterranean, Charagia, Walk., are internal 

 wood feeders. Indian and Ceylonese genera : Hejncdiscus, 

 Hampson, subterranean, Fhassns, Walk., internal wood 

 feeders. 



The newly-hatched larvaB of the genus Porina do not 

 eat the empty egg-shell; they always attach a silk thread 

 to the surface on which they walk, and by which they are 

 able to drop as well as a geometrid larva. When young 

 the larvic are to be found just beneath the surface of the 

 earth, about the base of grass stems; when older they 

 burrow into the ground, constructin<T a frail "tube," the 

 particles of eartli being held together by silk. The " tubes " 

 open at the surface of the ground — I have repeatedly 

 tested this, by pulling up a piece of turf and looking 

 through it — in no case have I observed a cover at the 



