AUSTRALIxVN HEPIALIDiE. 115 



The size of the opening of the burrow, which is enhirgod from 

 time to time to meet the requirements of the rapidly growhig 

 larva, and the texture and the degree of dryness of the bag-Uke 

 covering, formed of coarse silk and triturated wood and bark, 

 with which it protects the entrance to this burrow, are charac- 

 teristics that guide the experienced collector in deciding when the 

 infested limb should be cut. If these limbs and their contents 

 are kept in damp sand in a cool and airy place, a fair proportion 

 of successful breedings may be counted upon, but it is no un- 

 common thing for the emergence of the moths to be delayed for 

 one, or even two, seasons. 



The large increase of attention lately bestowed upon the 

 collecting and breeding of these attractive moths, has_ served to 

 illustrate in the most forcible way their growing scarcity in the 

 Hunter Eiver districts, a scarcity that is directly due to the rapid 

 disappearance of the scrub timber in the mining centres, and to 

 the zealousness with which that now standing is guarded by the 

 coalowners. Although considerable damage undoubtedly results 

 to useful timbers and shrubs, such as black apple {Achras 

 australis), native hop {Dodoiuea viscosa), wattle {Acacia decurrcns), 

 grey gum {Eiicalyptiis tcreticornis), and various other Eucalypts, 

 from the attacks of these lignivorous caterpillars, I have found 

 from personal experience that the average mine-manager is not 

 to be persuaded that one is doing him a service by felling even 

 unhealthy-looking saplings infested with these grubs. He 

 rather inclines to the view that poor-looking timber is better 

 than none at all. 



The increasing rarity of these insects is emphasised by the 

 almost complete absence of the larger and rarer species which 

 occurred in fair numbers in former years when collectors were 

 few. The vast bulk of the specimens now obtained belong to the 

 most widely distributed species, Charagia lignivura, Lw., C. 

 splendens, Sc, and C. eximia, Sc. The C. lewini, Walk., oc- 

 curred more rarely, and the silver-spangled C. ramsayi, Sc, 

 was only found once or twice, all the examples being females, 

 and C. scotti, Sc. (W. S. Macleay MS.), only on a single occa- 

 sion. The Zelotypia Stacy i, Sc, or " Bentwing " of the miners, 

 the largest of the Hepialidse, and one of the largest known 

 moths, was very scarce, and its variety sinuosa, OIL, did not 

 occur once. 



It is satisfactory to be able to add that the typical form of 

 this magnificent moth has recently been found at Mt. Victoria, a 

 summer resort in the Blue Mountains, 3422 feet above the sea- 

 level. Besides the vahey of the Hunter Eiver, the only previously 

 known locality for the species was the Manning River, ninety 

 miles further north. 



The following descriptions are from dry, and therefore faded, 

 specimens. The vivid green and red of the living insects quickly 



