230 
Mrs. T. Vernon Wollaston on 
Cosmophila xanthindyma , Boisd. 
This appears to be a somewhat scarce moth at St. Helena. 
Indeed, we were not fortunate enough to meet with any ex¬ 
amples of it during our visit, and only a single specimen has, 
I believe, been ever recorded for the island. 
Genus 11. HabiiostoLxY, Ochsenh. 
Hcibrostola commidendri , E. Woll. 
Expanse 1 inch 4 lines to 1 inch 8 lines. With the 
palpi not much compressed, and having the terminal joint 
distinct; antennaj simple in both sexes. The fore wings 
of a suffused dark cinereous hue, the central space being 
just appreciably darker (though much more appreciably so 
near the central streak) and bounded by two undulating pale 
lines. The orbicular and reniform stigmata are both apparent, 
the former being oblique and narrow. Parallel with the outer 
margin is a black narrow vandyked line which emits short 
streaks at the angles in opposite directions, i. e. two of them 
pointing internally, and then two externally, and so on. 
Hind wings smoky brown, gradually darker towards the outer 
margin. Thorax of much the same dappled hue as the an¬ 
terior wings, and with a large posterior crest. Body almost 
concolorous with the hind wings, but with darker crests near 
the base. 
This member of the Plusikke is altogether one of the most 
interesting of the St.-Helena Lepidoptera; and since its 
caterpillar seems to feed exclusively on the few remaining 
gumwoods ( Commidendron rob us turn, D.C.) which are now 
to be met with, we may feel pretty sure that it is one of the 
surviving members of the aboriginal gum wood fauna. So far, 
therefore, as my own observations are concerned, I need 
scarcely say that it does not extend into the higher parts of 
the island (for the gumwood does not extend beyond a certain 
altitude), but is strictly a native of the £< intermediate ” 
districts. 
It was at Plantation that we chiefly met with it, where we 
first observed a young gumwood to be literally defoliated by 
its larvae; and other gumwoods near were likewise found, on 
inspection, to be more or less similarly affected. This at least 
gave us an excellent opportunity of watching the caterpillars, 
and of rearing a certain number, though I cannot but regret 
now that I did not secure more. 
H. commidendri is very nearly allied to IT. transjixa , 
Walk, (a species from Ceylon and Moreton Bay), of which, 
indeed, it might almost be regarded as merely a geogra- 
