XVII. The larval habits of the Tineid moth Melasina energa, 
Meyr. By J. C. F. Fryer, M.A., F.ES. 
[Read May 7th, 1913.] 
PLATE ONT 
THE following notes were suggested by the discovery in a 
compound, at Peradeniya in Ceylon, of a number of earthy 
tubes, projecting above the surface of the ground in a 
manner which at once recalled the tubes of Polychaet 
worms found on the sea shore at low tide. Further in- 
vestigations showed that these tubes passed deeply down 
into the ground and were in most cases without any living 
inhabitant. Ultimately, however, out of a large number 
examined, several were found containing the remains of 
lepidopterous pupae, killed apparently by some fungus, 
while five were inhabited by what appeared to be Tineid 
larvae. Two of these died, but the remaining three 
produced moths, which Mr. Meyrick has kindly identified 
as females of Melasina energa, Meyr. From the same 
source it is learnt that the larvae of several of the Huropean 
and African members of the genus are known, and that 
they construct cases closely resembling those of the 
Psychidae. The peculhar habits of the larva of M. energa 
therefore seem of sufficient interest to merit a detailed 
description. 
When the larva is full-grown, the tubes measure from 
10 to 15 centimetres in length; two-thirds of the tube 
descends vertically into the ground, while the remaining 
one-third either lies horizontally on the surface, or winds 
its way into a mass of dead leaves. The tube is cylindrical 
inshape and measures from 6 to 8 mm. in diameter through- 
out its median portion; towards the free end it is funnel- 
shaped, widening out until at its termination it may 
measure 12 mm. in diameter. The subterranean end of 
the tube, when the larva is young, appears to open freely 
into the earth; in the case of full-grown larvae it widens 
considerably, thus forming, as will be shown subsequently, 
a pupal cell. 
In composition the tube is built of a strong, closely woven 
silk, to the outside of which grains of earth, pieces of dead 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1913.—PaRT II. (SEPT.) 
