234 Mr. R. H. Lewis's Case of Maternal Attendance, 



care seems to be the preservation of the brood from enemies, as I never 

 observed them give any direct assistance to the larvte, either in their 

 exclusion from the nest or in their feeding, and those broods which had 

 been deprived accidentally of their mothers being still in a thriving 

 state. The larvae, at least those which were without mothers, when 

 sleeping, preparatory to casting their skins, arrange themselves in an 

 oval mass, their heads pointing outwards, and with the anterior legs 

 elevated, resting on the four posterior only ; the remainder of the body 

 is likewise thrown upwards, and their tails meet in the centre, form- 

 ing a conical mass, which may not inaptly be compared to the high 

 crust of a pie : concealed in the centre of this mass are the small 

 and feeble individuals of the brood. Frequently, however, they ar- 

 range themselves round a twig. You will bear in mind that the 

 preceding observations were not made in a study, where confinement 

 and other circumstances might be supposed to influence their habits, 

 but in the open air, on their native trees. The larva not having 

 arrived at full growth it is useless describing it. The following is a 

 short description of the female insect : Head large, quadrate, nearly 

 equalling the thorax in breadth. Antennae clavate, not longer than 

 the head : first joint subglobular ; second shortest ; third, fourth, 

 and fifth cylindric, and of equal length ; sixth large, elongate, ovate, 

 and longer than the three preceding joints taken together. Wings 

 with one marginal cell, sending forth a nervure to the apex of the 

 wing ; submarginal cells four, the division between the first and 

 second frequently obsolete. Stigma large. Four posterior tibiae near 

 their middle furnished with a spine. $ above dark ochreous ; the 

 head and mesothorax above with a fuscous line on each side, be- 

 neath luteous. Posterior legs, with the apex of the tibiae, the apex 

 of the first joint and nearly the whole of the subsequent joints of the 

 tarsi black. Eyes and ocelli black. Length 8 lin. 



P.S. — As the insect described by Mr. Lewis dift'ers from any of 

 the species of Perga recorded by Dr. Leach in the Zoological Mis- 

 cellany, vol. iii., it may be appropriately named and characterized 

 thus : 



Perga Leioisii supra ochracea, capitis thoracisque linea laterali 



apiceque tibiarum et articulorum tarsalium posticorum nigris. 

 Long. Corp. 8 lin. 

 Habitat in Australasia. In Mus. nostr. 



J.O.W. 



