12 Some Lepidopterous Pests New to Sugar Cane in Queensland. 
larve of Melanttis on widely separated plantations; leaving little room 
for doubt that this butterfly, although of minor importance, breeds 
habitually in sueh situations. 
Owing to its habit of flying chiefly at nightfall, and more especially 
to its remarkable protective colouration, it contrives to avoid general 
notice, although a fairly plentiful insect in most reserves, public parks, 
&e. When disturbed it seldom flies more than a few feet, seeking rather 
to escape by dodging about in an erratic manner for a short distance and 
then settling hurriedly on the ground or amongst withered leaves, when 
it remains motionless, shutting its wings so as to expose to view only the 
leaf-like lower surface. 
Egg. 
The glassy, pale-green eggs, which are spherical and 1 mm. in 
diameter, are laid side by side in batches of from three to eight on the 
under surface of a leaf-blade. 
Larva. 
The caterpillar may be briefly described as grass-green, sluggish in 
habit, and about 2 in. long; the body finely tuberculate and tapering 
slightly towards each extremity. Owing to its colour, and custom of 
resting on the lower surface of leaves, it usually escapes detection, but 
when found will be seen at once to differ from the larve of other 
Queensland cane-pests in having two conspicuous reddish or dark-brown 
horns rising vertically from the head, while a couple of pointed fleshy 
protuberances project horizontally from the anal segment. 
Pupa. 
About 1 in. in length, stoutly proportioned, and of a uniform 
delicate shade of pea-green. 
Imago (Perfect Insect). 
This well-known butterfly is chocolate or red-brown on the upper 
surface, merging into dull orange on the fore-wings, which are deeply 
scalloped on outer edges and ornamented with a conspicuous, black, 
eye-like blotch enclosing two large white spots. The colouration of the 
lower surface varies from hght to very dark purplish brown, and is 
crossed by a few blackish lines resembling the veins of a leaf, the outer 
angles of the hind-wings being prolonged in the form of two short tails. 
Wing expanse about 3 in. 
According to Waterhouse and Lyell, the more abundant of our two 
forms of Melanitis (var. banksia Fab.) occurs from April to August and 
again later in the season; while the less plentiful, ocellated form (var. 
barnardi Lueas) is met with from December to March. In view of the 
interest attaching to our Australian forms of Melanitis, scientific readers 
are referred to the above authors for a detailed deseription of these 
butterflies.° 
°““The Butterflies of Australia,’’ Waterhouse and Lyell; Angus and Robertson 
Ltd., Sydney, Australia, 1914. 
