SOME TASMANIAN CASE-BEARING LEPIDOPTERA. 



13 



somewhat narrow, broadest at base, and gradually tapering to 

 apex ; up to 40 mm. in length, and 4 mm. at greatest breadth. 



I have caught but one male moth ; it was very weak on the 

 wing. The others I have bred. The female is quite destitute of 

 wings, find is a very sluggish crawler. She never strays far 

 from her case, but remains an inconspicuous object on a bough 

 of its food-plant until impregnated. Then an occurrence takes 

 place which I am at present at a loss to thoroughly understand. 

 On cutting open a number of cases, I have found eggs sprinkled 

 in them from top to bottom. These eggs, on hatching, have 

 proved to be those of this species. Does the moth, after impreg- 

 nation, thrust the projecting pupa-case out of the way at the 

 posterior aperture, crawl inside, lay her eggs among the silk 

 lining of the case, crawl out again, and then die ? Taking into 

 consideration the behaviour of the female of Clania lewinii, such 

 a thing is quite possible. On no occasion did I find the remains 

 of a female in any of the cases. 



At present I see no other explanation possible to account for 

 the eggs getting inside the cases. They are round in shape, and 

 of a yellow colour. The larvsD on first emerging are 1 mm. long, 

 thorax and abdomen yellowish, and the head black. From actual 

 observations I found that the first case is made exactly in the 

 same manner as that of C. lewinii or 0. ignohilis. The full- 

 grown larvae are 15 mm. long and 1*5 mm. broad; head and 

 thoracic segments striped with reddish brown, abdomen yellowish 

 white, legs dark brown. Their food -plants consist of a number 

 of species of native trees, including the acacia and Casuarinese. 

 Sometimes they become very destructive in fruit -gardens by 

 nibbling through the young shoots on apple-trees. The moths 

 are to be found during February and March. 



Xysmatodoma adelopsis, Meyr. 



<? . 25 mm. Fore wings blackish brown, dusted with fine silvery 

 scales ; running from costa to inner margin are fine interrupted lines 

 of black. Hind wings black, almost purple in some lights ; fringes 

 same colour. Head and thorax covered with moderately long silvery 

 hair ; abdomen brownish black. 



? . 35 mm. Fore wings blackish brown, well dusted with fine 

 silvery scales ; wavy black markings not so pronounced as in male. 

 Hind wings dull blackish brown ; fringes tinged with purple. Head 

 grey and thorax black ; abdomen blackish brown. 



In some districts the cases of this species are rather plentiful 

 on their favourite food-plant, acacia, especially A. dealbata, the 

 silver-wattle. 



Both male and female moths are heavy flyers, especially the 

 latter. The cases are 24 mm. long and 5 mm. at the widest 

 part, tapering off slightly towards the posterior extremity. They 

 are composed of very fine grains of bark, tightly fastened to a 



