20 



TJic Dancing Moth. 

 (Plate in. Figs. 6-8.) 



This is prol)al)ly a son^ewhat recently introduced moth and at 

 present remains undertermined. Dr. Perkins collected it in Ho- 

 nolulu in 1901, hut it is not included in the "Microleitdoptera" 

 'of the "Fauna Hawaiiensis." I helieve that Walsingham has 

 had specimens for identification recently, hut I have not heard 

 the results. I am unahle to place it generically from the litera- 

 ture availahle. 



It is already alnuidant on ( )ahu. hut I do not know whether it 

 occurs on the other islands or not. Its larvae are often found 

 in sugar cane associated with larvae of the hud moth, and I have 

 sometimes found them quite numerous though never enough so 

 to do any noticeable injury. They are also to be found on pine- 

 apples amongst dead leaves, and the dead bracts at the base of 

 the fruit ; and ampng dead or dying leaves of banana and Par- 

 iianits. The moth is often seen amongst ferns in the mountains. 



The moth is smaller than those previously mentioned. With 

 wings folded at rest it is but 4 mm. long (less than l-^ inch) and 

 the breadth with wings spread is about 8 nun. or 5/6 inch. It is 

 white to yellowish-white and the fore wings have more or less 

 brownish markings, sometimes nearly all pale brown with l)lackish 

 markings; hind wings paler; head and antennae white, the latter 

 banded with black. It has the peculiar habit when hrst alighting 

 upon a leaf or anything, of miming around with much gyrating: 

 hence the namje. 



The full-grown larva (Plate III, Fig. 8) is al)out 9-10 mm., 

 cylindrical, head and following segment slightly narrower than 

 rest of body ; very dark brown, also two brownish spots on each 

 side of segments three and four ; rest of body somewhat fuscous 

 but usually appearing blackish on account of the contents of the 

 alimentary canal ; tubercles (|uite conspicuously prominent, 

 slightly darkened, hairs long. dark, those of tubercles i and ii 

 curved forward; tubercles i and ii in a straight longitudinal line; 

 tubercule iii just above spiracles ; iv and v separate, below spiracle. 

 v anteriorly and somewhat lower than iv. 



The larva does not spin much silk for its protection, and does 

 not make a cocoon for pupation. The pupa (Plate III. Fig. 7) 



