Lepid(ypteroiis ffenus Ophideres. 239 



It Avas from the examination o£ the proboscis of the moth 

 some eight years ago, that T first began to doubt the statements 

 about the capabihty of an insect, fitted with such an instrument, 

 to perforate the tough rind of an orange, though the apparatus 

 appeared adapted for enlarging a hole already existing. 



I then made enquiries, and ascertained that the oranges fell 

 off in other colonies in Australia, where the OpJnderldce were 

 imknown, and lieing thus strengthened in my supposition that 

 the moth was, at all events, not the primary enemy of the orange, 

 I endeavoured to find out what Avas. 



I accordingly obtained a number o£ newly fallen oranges for 

 examination. On squeezing these with the hand, a small drop of 

 juice Avas seen to exude from the orange, and on opening the 

 corresponding quarter of the orange, tAvo or three maggots Avere 

 visible, varying in size, according to the stage of growth at Avhich 

 they had arrived ; only the division in Avhich the larva^ Avere 

 was effected ; the remaining quarters appeared to be sound and 

 eatable. I then enclosed a number of the oranges in boxes with 

 a little sand, and at the end of a fortnight, the fly (of which I 

 have sent two specimens to Mr. Janson)* appeared ; and I 

 thought I could noAv see how it Avas that superficial observers 

 had been led to think that the moth Avas the destroyer of the 

 orange ; Avhereas it Avas only an accomplice after the fact. Now 

 also, I could admire the wonderful perfection of the mechanism 

 of the proboscis of the moth, and see how Avell it was adapted 

 for enlarging a hole already made by some other insect, though 

 totally unfitted for commencing one, and that to this hole it was 

 attracted by the drop of juice exuding from it. 



* These specimens, doubtless referable to the genus 'Tri/2)rfa,'Keig., 

 I have deposited in the national collection at the British Museum : the 

 species is evidently distinct from any therein extaiit, its nearest ally 

 appears to be 1\ xrrratuhe, Linn. (Loew. europ. Bohrflieg-en, p. (12, 

 T. X. f. 1).— ^-r^. 



x2 



