On the genus Charagia of Walker, 

 By A. W. Scott, M.A. 



[Read 2nd September, 1867.] 



The Catalogue of the Lepidojotera Heterocera contained in the 

 British Museum characterizes in page 1569, the genus Charagia, 

 to which generic description is appended a Synopsis of the 

 species known to Mr. Walker ; the arrangement being appa- 

 rently founded on the colour and marking of the superior wings, 

 without taking into due consideration the probability of the 

 existence of any of those striking sexual dissimilarities in both 

 of these respects, which this group, particularly in the smaller 

 kinds, so forcibly exhibits. 



As this Synopsis, when applied to the species of the genus, 

 enumerated in the catalogue, and to those additional ones in my 

 collection, now to be described, conveys an erroneous principle, 

 I am desirous of contributing further information than I have 

 already given in the Australian Lepidoptera, on this beautiful, but 

 little known, portion of the Hepialidean family, and I therefore 

 gladly avail myself of this opportunity to place in a concise 

 manner before the members of this Society the practical know- 

 ledge I possess of the transformations, sexual distinctions, and 

 habits of the Australasian Charagise, in the hope by so doing 

 that a clearer and more accurate perception of this restricted 

 genus might be attained. 



Genus Chaeagia.^ 



Charagia. Walker ; Brit. Mus. Cat. Lep. Het.,p. 1569: Scott. Aust. Lep.,p. 3. 

 Hepialus. Lewin, Doubleday, Boisduval ; Stephen's M.S. S. 



Alee longae, sat latte, leviter falcatge, apice acuminatas ; angulis 

 analibus valde rotundatis.' Caput porrectum. Oculi magni, 

 prominuli. Antennse brevissimsB, aliquantulum moniliformes, 

 leniter ciliatae. Palpi labiales distincti, porrecti, triarticulati. 



1 Generic characters copied from my work on Australian Lepidoptera, p. 3. 

 ^ Alse posticaB non semi-hyalinsB. Brit. Mus. Cat., p. 1548. 



