THE BUGONG. 



513 



richness exceeding the power of man to imitate, and more than realizes the metamorphosis 

 achieved by the fairy godmother's wand. This transformation is confined to the upper 

 wings, the lower retaining their simple brown hue. The upper wings are sprinkled with 

 some pale spots. The under side is greyish brown, marked with spots similar to those on 

 the upper surface. 



PEKHAPS the most interesting 

 of these butterflies is the now 

 celebrated BUGONG (Euplcea 

 hamdta), the so-called " moth '' 

 on which the aborigines ot 

 New South Wales are in the 

 habit of feeding. 



The Bugong is found chiefly 

 upon a range of granite hills 

 called the Bugong Mountains, 

 and it is rather remarkable that 

 the insects congregate upon the 

 outcropping granite masses in 

 preference to the wooded sides 

 of the mountains, and are found 

 in greatest plenty at a consider- 

 able elevation. Mr. G-. Bennett 

 visited these mountains for the 

 express purpose of investiga- 

 ting the subject, and in his 

 "Wanderings" gives the follow- 

 ing interesting account <~>f the 

 Bugoug : 



"The Bugong moths, as 1 

 have before observed, collect 

 on the surfaces and also in 

 the crevices of the masses of 

 granite in incredible quantities. 

 To procure them with greater 

 facility, the natives make 

 smothered fires underneath 

 those rocks about which they 

 are collected, and suffocate them 

 with smoke, at the same time 

 sweeping them off, frequently 

 in baskets-full at a time. After 

 they have collected a large 

 quantity, they proceed to pre- 

 pare them, which is done in 

 the following manner. 



A circular space is cleared 

 on the ground, of a size pro- 

 portioned to the number of insects to be prepared. On it a fire is lighted, and kept 

 burning until the ground is considered to be sufficiently heated, when, the fire being 

 removed, and the ashes cleared away, the moths are placed upon the heated ground, and 

 stirred about until the down and wings are removed from them ; they are then placed on 

 pieces of bark and winnowed, to separate the dust and wings mixed with the bodies. 

 They are then eaten, or placed in a wooden vessel and pounded by a piece of wood into 

 masses or cakes resembling lumps of fat, and may be compared in colour and consistence 

 to dough made from smutty wheat mixed with fat. The bodies of the moths are large, 

 3. LL 



MIDAMUS. buplcea Midamus. 



