89 



habits are unknown.* This one mining leaves of the native 

 ebony is very different from the other two species. I have 

 named it for its foodplant. 



Gracilaria mahaella n. sp. [Fam. Tineidae]. 



(Plate 3, fig. 6.) 



Antennae dark fuscous, longer than fore wing. Palpi slender, 

 ascending, dark fuscous, white above near apex of second segment 

 and at base and apex of terminal segment. Maxillary palpi filiform, 

 white inside, fuscous outside. Head purplish fuscous, some whitish 

 scales in front. Thorax purple. Forewings purple with a few scatter- 

 ing whitish ochreous scales, an ill-defined whitish ochreous patch near 

 base and a wide costal streak of the same color, beginning at about 

 one-fourth and extending to near apex with two extensions dorsally to 

 the fold; several dark dots on costa; cilia fuscous. Hindwings and 

 cilia uniform fuscous. Abdomen fuscous above, pale yellowish below. 

 Fore and hind femora and tibiae brownish fuscous; tarsi white, fus- 

 cous at apex of segments. Hind femora white with a fuscous spot on 

 outer side near apex; tibiae and tarsi light fuscous above, whitish 

 below. 



Full-grown larva — About 7mm., pale yellowish-white; head concol- 

 orous, eyes dark; head and following segment a little wider than the 

 rest of the body; abdominal prolegs on segments 7 to 9. 



Pupa — 4-6 mm., very slender; pale greenish-white, eyes dark 

 hrown; head with a pointed projection in front; wing-cases extend to 

 near apex of 6th abdominal segment, free beyond 4th segment; pos- 

 terior leg-cases extend slightly beyond apex of abdomen, antenna-cases 

 extend a little farther; cremaster unarmed; dorsum of abdomen cov- 

 ered with minute, short, bacKward-projecting spines, probably for assist- 

 ance in emergence; abdominal segments beyond 4th movable. Pupa 

 becomes darker as time for emergence approaches. 



The usual form of mine begins near margin of leaf towards 

 base, approaches the margin, then follows it to near apex, thence 

 to midrib which it follows downward, sooii widening quite regu- 

 larly to a broad blotch extending nearly or quite to the base of 

 the leaf. On the old leaves these blotches are conspicuous by 

 their having become blackened after the emergence of the larva. 



The larva emerges from the mine to construct its cocoon, 

 which is rounded-oval, white and parchment-like, about Y mm. 

 long by 4 mm, wide, and is made on the surface of the leaf in 

 a depression, or a slight fold at the margin. 



The resting position of the moth is with the anterior end of 



* I have more recently ascertained that this species mines the 

 leaves of Duhauiia. 



