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Snell. — Professor Poulton exhibited specimens and drawings 

 of Aulacodes simjilicialis, Snell., one of the Hydrocamjnnae, ^ {> 

 also sent to him by Mr. Muir and Mr. Kershaw. Mr. Muir'.s 

 letter of Dec. 24th, 1908, already referred to, contained the 

 following reference to his and Mr. Kershaw's observations : — 

 " Before leaving Macao we found a little moth living in the 

 streams, and also a parasite that attacks it. I enclose you 

 some sketches (made by Kershaw) of it, along with some notes, 

 and specimens of imago, larva, pupa and cocoon. If the life 

 of this species be unknown the observations may be of 

 interest, and you can use the notes as you wish." 



Accompanying the letter was the following interesting record 

 of the observations conducted by these two naturalists : — 



"One of the last entomological excursions we made before 

 w^e left China was to Lappa, a mountainous island on the 

 western side of the harbour of Macao. Many streams arise 

 among these granite mountains and rush down the steep 

 gullies in a series of small waterfalls. In several spots where 

 the water was most rapid we found the larva of a species of 

 Hydrocampinae living on the surface of the rocks, sometimes 

 under eighteen to twenty-four inches of swiftly flowing water, 

 at other times under a few inches, or where the rocks were 

 continuously covered with a shower of spray. 



" The larva appeared to be very similar to De Geer's figvue 

 ol Paraponyx stratiotata, L., the second and following ten body 

 segments bearing a protuberance on each side, from which 

 forty to fifty thread-like gills arise (Fig. 1). The pupa is 

 xli] 



slightly more thick-set in the thorax than P. stratiotata and 

 its proboscis and legs project some way beyond the end of the 

 abdomen. The second, third and fourth abdominal segments 

 bear raised spiracles. 



" The larva constructs flat, silken tunnels over the surface 

 of the rocks and fastens little pieces of green alga, upon which 

 it feeds, into the structure. The alga grows and gives the 

 tunnels a cryptic appearance. When full-grown the larva 

 xlii] 



constructs a complex cocoon. A stout silken dome is con- 

 structed, with a series of holes near the anterior and posterior 

 -edges {h in Figs. 2, 3, and 4). This is fastened down to the rock 



