( 77 ) 



rests for a few moments, and a convulsive movement of the 

 posterior segments is noticeable. Very soon a globular pellet 

 — apparently composed of dried bubbles — is voided whole. 

 The caterpillar then turns round inside the cocoon, rapidly 

 attaches the globule to the roof of the cocoon by a stout 

 silken cord, bites a small hole close to the point of attachment, 

 and pushes the globule and cord up through this aperture. 

 The rent is then quickly repaired. This is followed by another 

 short pause, the evacuation of a second pellet, and a repetition 

 of the previous performance, the second pellet being placed at 

 the opposite extremity of the cocoon, in consequence of the 

 caterpillar having reversed its position in the cocoon. The 



[cix 

 same movements are continued, until the complete crest of 

 globules is in position, when the labours of the little animal 

 are over, and it composes itself for pupation. The number of 

 pellets probably varies, but — in one cocoon — I have counted 

 more than forty of these little objects. 



Peradeniya, Aug. 16, 1912. 



Prof. Poulton said that it was extremely interesting 

 that Mr. Lamborn's original discovery of the structures in 

 the cocoons of the Hypsid moth Deilemera a?itinoru, Oberth., 

 had thus led to the further discovery of this still more 

 elaborate method of producing similar results. He pointed 

 out the curious optical effect whereby, when the cocoons were 

 looked down upon from above, the bubbles appeared to be 

 inside the silken wall although they were really resting on the 

 outside of it. 



Mr. Green's account differed in several important par- 

 ticulars from that given by Mr. T. Bainbrigge Fletcher and 

 quoted by Mr. E. Meyrick, F.K.S., in his "Exotic Micro- 

 lepidoptera," vol. i, pp. 21-22. Among other differences 

 Fletcher described the spheres as " apparently . . . formed 

 in the mouth " of the larva. 



Mr. Durrant made a few observations with regard to the 

 allied genera Marmara and Epicepliala (Gracilariadae). The 

 life-history of Marmara salictella was discovered by Dr. 

 Brackenridge Clemens so long ago as 1859 or 1860, but the 

 genus had not been recognised until a few years since, when 



