41 



C. sabulifera, a highly variable fonn. The caterpillars feed on 

 Hibiscus, and are sometimes very abundant on the 'Hau' trees. 



The unique Plusia pterylotis, a remarkable species of this 

 beautiful genus, was obtained on Tantalus (where a second very 

 worn specimen was seen) and might no doubt be collected in 

 numbers. Of the Hydriomenidae the considerable genus 

 Eucymatoge has so far yielded only E. monticolans , which is often 

 seen resting with expanded wings on the trunks or branches of 

 trees. It is so highly variable in colour, as to be worth collecting, 

 for some of the forms are so different in appearance, as to appear 

 quite distinct species. No doubt other species of Eucymatoge 

 occur, e. g., the rather curiously shaped E. staurophragma, which 

 elsewhere is found amongst leie {Freycinetia). 



The Selidosemidae are well represented on Tantalus, the 

 extensive genus Scotorythra having many species. 5. caryopis^ 

 remarkable for the great sexual distinctions, is very common, 

 and exhibits several noteworthy varieties. 5. hecataea and 

 homotrias are larger and much less common, but allied to the 

 preceding. A single male, taken a year or two ago appears to 

 belong to an undescribed species, and may be allied to 5. deme- 

 trias of Hawaii. Other species that are found are 5. dissoHs, 

 S. metacrossa, S. triscia, S. nephelosticta var. cocytias, together 

 with some that have taken to feeding on introduced plants 

 {e. g. guava), 5. diceraunia, S. brachytarsa, and 5. vara. Many 

 of these species yield extraordinary variations in colour. The 

 larger 5. euryphaea is less common. The two commonest koa- 

 feeding species are 5. caryopis and 5. rara. The two finest 

 species of the family, however, are the great Acrodrepanis 

 megalophylla and the very pretty Nesochlide epixantha, the latter 

 being common in the male sex, but the females rarely seen. I 

 have only twice seen the latter at large and curiously enough 

 both of these on the wing in the daytime, one of them only the 

 other day on Tantalus, the other in the mountains behind 

 Waialua. Whereas the male is readily attracted by flowers of 

 the Ohia and to light, the female apparently comes to neither of 

 these attractions. Sisyrophyta gomphias, remarkable for the 

 curious secondary sexual characters of the male, is common, 

 even in the forest of introduced trees planted by the Government. 

 The caterpillar of the handsome Sphingid Deilephila calida is 

 ofund feeding on various trees, "ohia," "koa," Bobea elatior and 



