218 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The larvae of Entometa ignobilis feed principally on the various species 

 of Acacia and Eucalyptus. The perfect insects are very rarely seen : 

 that such should be the case is not to be wondered at, as the males on 

 emerging, in confinement, dash themselves to pieces in a few minutes 

 against the sides of the cage. They are remarkable for the length of 

 the abdomen, the power they have of elongating it, and the manner in 

 which they lash it from side to side. The females never leave the 

 cases, but simply place the posterior end of the abdomen close to the 

 lower aperture of the case. The male, when ready to change to the 

 pupa state, reverses its position in the case, so that its head is close to 

 the lower aperture. The female, on the other hand, pupates in the 

 same position as when a larva. The young are brought forth not in 

 the egg state but as minute larvae, which, if one is fortunate enough, 

 may be seen issuing in immense numbers from the body of the female, 

 each letting itself down by a slender thread of silk, it being soon 

 wafted to some leaf of the tree. Each immediately spins a silk case 

 for itself, fastening grains of bark to its exterior surface. A very 

 small proportion of larvae turn to imagines owing to the attacks of 

 ichneumon and dipterous parasites. Recently I was fortunate enough 

 to witness a nearly adult larva of this species enlarging its case. It 

 occurred to me that a description of the process might not be without 

 some interest to many. First the edge of the mouth of the case was 

 tightly fastened with silk to the twig from which a portion was to be 

 cut. Then the caterpillar protruded itself half out of its case and 

 commenced nibbling the bark round tlie twig. In a very short while 

 it was severed. I should have before remarked that the top of the 

 twig and several leaves were bitten off before cutting a piece the desired 

 length (about an inch). As soon as the portion was severed it was 

 grasped by the caterpillar in its legs, which acted in the capacity of 

 hands, and then given a coating of silk. This occupied two or three 

 minutes. It was marvellous to watch the ease with which the piece 

 of twig was handled, being turned over and over, backwards and 

 forwards, without a seeming effort. It was nearly always grasped in 

 the middle. After the coating process was finished the caterpillar 

 retreated inside its case, laying the twig lengthwise across the mouth. 

 It then bit an opening about a quarter of an inch from the top through 

 the fabric, came half way out through the opening, and pulled down 

 the piece of twig. It was then lightly fastened by one end near the 

 top of the case. The caterpillar then proceeded to fasten it securely 

 for half its length among the other bits of twigs already there. This 

 done, it retreated into its case and fastened up the rent it had made 

 in the fabric, at the same time securely attaching the top of the twig. 

 Unfortunately I never witnessed the lower portion of the twig being 

 fastened down, but should imagine the process was the same. Next 

 day it was practically impossible to distinguish this twig from the 

 others. Its thickness was that of, say, a two-inch nail. Sometimes 

 the twigs project an inch or more beyond the end of the case, but the 

 method of fastening on is the same. — Feank M. Littler ; Launceston, 

 Tasmania: March 16th, 1903. 



