Mr. J. C. F. Fryer on Tineid moth Melasina energa. 421 
leaf and broken twigs are attached, the earth covering the 
subterranean portion, while the dead leaves and twigs 
encrust that above ground. 
The pupal cell is formed by the terminal 2 cm. at the 
bottom of the tube and differs from the remainder in its 
greater width and in the increased thickness of its silken 
walls. Inside the pupal cell les a thin cocoon which is 
cylindrical in shape and flat at each end; it is peculiar in 
that it is composed of fine silk matted together by some 
dark-coloured secretion, thus resembling the cocoons 
of certain Hymenoptera. This cocoon fits fairly closely 
into the pupal cell, but for the greater portion of its length 
is only loosely attached to it by a few strands of silk; at 
the extreme lower end, however, it is firmly woven to the 
lower lips of the cell so that the flat end of the cocoon 
entirely blocks the subterranean entrance. This arrange- 
ment seems peculiar for, while the walls of the pupal cell 
are very thick, the end is guarded solely by the thin flat 
silken disc which forms the bottom of the cocoon. The 
similar disc, which forms the upper end of the cocoon, is 
easily detached and on the emergence of the moth is pushed 
up like the lid of a box. In the few cases examined the 
empty pupa skin was found in the cocoon. 
The food of the larvae consists of dead leaves and other 
decaying vegetable matter, though in captivity they never 
seemed entirely satisfied with the food of this nature which 
was given them; they did not desert their original tubes, 
but showed dissatisfaction by constructing branch tubes 
on the surface of the earth, a proceeding never observed 
under natural conditions. Feeding was accomplished only 
by night, and it was practically impossible to watch the 
larvae at work, as they retreated immediately on the 
approach of a light; they were never found away from 
their tubes and probably never leave them, since the five 
captured larvae, when removed from their dwellings, were 
unable to crawl on a flat surface and could not regain their 
tubes without assistance. 
No suggestion can be made as to the precise reasons 
which have brought about this strange modification of the 
tube-building habit; there are certain obvious advantages, 
such as freedom from the attacks of birds and parasites, 
but there are also serious disadvantages in the very small 
area which is available as a feeding-ground and the extreme 
hability to fungoid diseases, a serious consideration in a 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1913.—PART II. (SEPT.) EE 
