632 DESCRIPTIONS OF AUSTRALIAN MICRO-LEPIDOPTERA, 



Crocidosema pleleiana, seems to be already much more plentiful 

 here than at home ; indeed, if it were not so marked an European 

 type, it might be argued that it was really introduced from 

 Australia into Europe, but it is not probable that this was the 

 case. 



The principal feature of the family is the development of the 

 nearly-allied groups of Palceolia and Strepsiceros, which are 

 apparently almost confined to the Australian region. The two 

 European species of these groups are very similar in facies to the 

 Australian, but generically distinct. The peculiar larval habit 

 of at least one species of Palceolia, which mines blotches beneath 

 the cuticle of leaves, in the same manner as many of the smaller 

 Tineina, is unprecedented in the Tortricina. Two species of 

 Strepsiceros, which occur in both Australia and New Zealand, are 

 the only Tortricina which appear to be indigenous to both 

 countries ; and under those circumstances it becomes a question 

 of importance whether they are really indigenous to both, that is 

 to say, whether their occurrence in one or other is not due inter- 

 mediately to human agencies. Of the two species in question, S. 

 ejectana is an excessively abundant species in various parts of 

 Australia, and is known to feed on several common Australian 

 shrubs ; in New Zealand it seems to occur more sparingly, and 

 the specimens I took were decidedly dwarfed ; it does not seem 

 at all improbable that it may have been accidentally transported 

 with some one of its foodplants from Australia to New Zealand, 

 and subsequently have maintained itself on allied plants. S. 

 zopherana, on the other hand, occurred to me in great abundance 

 in New Zealand, and I have only met with occasional individuals 

 round Sydney ; it is not inconceivable that in this case the previous 

 process may have been reversed, but further evidence is required. 

 If however these species are really indigenous to New Zealand, 

 I am surprised that peculiar species of the genus have not occurred 

 there ; though it is true that we have there the nearly allied but 

 peculiar genus Hendecasticha. In view of the otherwise complete 



