THE BUGONG MOTH. 195 



poultry. Shaw also states, that a population of 40,000 peo- 

 ple at Gairo, live upon lizards and serpents as a species of 

 self-mortification. But did you ever hear of a people who 

 ate moths? 



HENRIETTA. 



No, aunt; we shall be much obliged to you to give us an 

 account of them. 



MRS. P. 



This moth (Euplaxt hamato) is found in New South Wales, 

 chiefly on the Bugong mountains, where it assembles in mul- 

 titudes, whether for the purpose of migration, is not yet 

 ascertained, but immense swarms of butterflies, covering a 

 space to the extent of three or four acres, were seen by 

 captain Cook; and captain King also relates that they con- 

 gregated in great numbers. The bodies of the moths are 

 large, and filled with a yellowish oil, in taste much resem- 

 bling a sweet nut. November, December, and January, are 

 the months for collecting them; and this period is a season of 

 such great feasting to the aborigines, that they assemble, from 

 all parts of the country, to collect the moths on these mountains 

 where they are found upon the masses of granite, as many 

 as five or six bushels being gathered upon a rock. The 

 natives make smothered fires underneath the rocks where they 

 are collected, and thus suffocate them with smoke, at the 

 same time sweeping them off frequently in baskets full at a 

 time. After they have collected a sufficient quantity, they 

 are thus prepared: a circular space is cleared upon the 

 ground, and on it a fire is lighted, which is kept burning 

 until the ground is sufficiently heated, when the fire and ashes 

 are removed, and moths placed upon the heated ground, and 

 stirred about until the down and wings are removed from 

 them; they are then placed upon pieces of bark, and winnowed 

 in order to separate the wings and dust, which are mixed 

 with the bodies. They are afterwards either eaten, or placed 

 into a wooden vessel, and pounded into masses or cakes, 

 resembling lumps of fat, or rather dough, which has been 



