xliv 
JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 
The Secretary read some extracts from a letter recently received 
by him, by Mr. R. H. Lewis from Van Diemen’s Land, contain- 
ing various observations upon the natural history and entomology 
of that island. 
In respect to the species of Perga, whose habits he had pre- 
viously observed (see Vol. i. p. 232 ; P. Lewisii. Westw .), he states 
that he did not succeed in rearing the larvae which he had found, 
nor was he yet acquainted with the male insect, but he had that 
year had an opportunity of confirming his previous observations. 
There is but one brood in the year, and it is somewhat singular 
that the earliest portion of their lives is passed during the winter 
season [in Van Diemen’s Land], when they are subject to heavy 
rains. When resting in the day the larvae, like most other Tere- 
brantia, carry their heads erect. On their mouths is a drop of a 
yellow gummy fluid, and if touched, they throw their heads back, 
and vomit this in some quantity. It is very thick, and seems to 
be given them as a protection against Ichneumonidce, one of which 
tribe preys upon them ; and he had seen it (the Ichneumon ) dead, 
with the wings and legs covered and glued together by the gummy 
matter. He thus proceeds : — 
“ The general features of the Entomology of Van Diemen’s 
Land, though perhaps in some respect more attractive in appear- 
ance than the British, is certainly inferior to the corresponding 
latitude in the northern hemisphere. Many groups even are less 
attractive than the British ; the Papiliones, for instance. You must 
not therefore expect me to ascertain the history of all the splendid 
productions you receive in England from New South Wales. 
“ I have of course been up Mount Wellington, and spread my 
entomological nets 4,000 feet above the level of the sea. I caught 
some moths, a Feronia of some sort, a very curious Anobium-like 
looking insect, with the elytra spiny. I also caught a pretty 
Eumolpus, some Tipulce, Mnscce, &c. 
“ The Platypus [Ornithorynchus] I had was a young one, it fed 
kindly on small crabs and sea Crustacea ; when disturbed it emits 
oak-spangles are called by the latter. The former author indeed notices that they 
are parasitically attacked by an Eurytoma, and the latter states that he had found 
between their under-surface and the leaf specimens of a minute larva. I have re- 
peatedly found these larvae (which appear to be dipterous) in the month of Sep- 
tember, and have figured them in the Arboretum Britannicum, p. 1827, where I 
have given a long detail of the history of these galls. Olivier, in the Encyclopedic 
Methodique, was acquainted with their history, and described the true inhabitant 
under the name of Diplolepis lenticulatus, which Fabricius altered to Cynips longi- 
pennis. — [J. O. W.] 
