﻿VI HETEROCERA PYRALIDAE 423 



The larva of Nymphvla stagnata,a, close ally of H. nymphaeatas 



has aquatic habits of a somewhat similar but simpler nature : 

 while N. {Paraponyx) stratiotata is very different. This larva is 

 provided with eight rows of tufts of flexible branchiae, occupying 

 the position of the spots or setigerous warts usual in caterpillars, 

 and reminding one of the spines of certain butterfly-larvae, though 

 they are undoubtedly respiratory filaments. These caterpillars 

 protect themselves by forming silken webs or cases, or by adopt- 

 ing the case of some other larva, and are in the habit of holding 

 on by the anal claspers, and rapidly and energetically moving 

 the anterior parts of the body in an undulating fashion. The 

 spiracles exist, but are functionless. The pupa lives under water, 

 and has no branchiae ; but three of the pairs of abdominal 

 spiracles are open, and project from the body. M tiller informs 

 us that in a Brazilian Paraponyx these three pairs of spiracles 

 were already large in the larva, though the other pairs were very 

 small, or absent. He considers that the moth of this species 

 descends beneath the water of a rapid stream, and fastens its 

 eggs on the stems of plants therein. Cataclysta lemnata lives in 

 a ease of silk with leaves of duckweed attached to it, or in a 

 piece of a hollow stem of some aquatic plant ; it is believed to 

 breathe, like H. nymphaeata, at first by the integument and 

 subsequently by open stigmata ; but particulars as to how it 

 obtains the requisite air-supply are not forthcoming : the aquatic 

 pupa breathes by three large abdominal spiracles like Paraponyx. 

 Musotimidae 1 is a small group of two or three genera found in 

 Australia and Polynesia ; and the Tineodidae also consist of only 

 two Australian genera. Siculodidae is likewise a small Antarctic 

 group, placed by Meyrick in Pyralidina ; but his view is not 

 accepted by Snellen and Eagonot. Epipaschiinae (formerly 

 treated as a separate family) and Endotrichiinae are, according 

 to Meyrick, subdivisions of the family Pyralidae proper, an 

 enormous group of more than 100 genera. The Chrysauginae 

 consist chiefly of American forms, and have not been treated by 

 Meyrick ; some of this group have been classed with Tortricidae 

 or Deltoidae on account of the undulating costa of the front wings- 

 and the long, peculiar palpi. The Galleriidae are a small group 

 including Insects that live in bees'-nests, and feed on the wax 



1 For Bibliographic references connected with the divisions of Pyralidae see 

 Ragonot, Ann. Soe. nit. France (6), x. 1890, pp. 458, etc. 



