114 OKEITICTJS KIRBYI. 



the apex serrulated. Extension of the wings about 

 an inch and three-quarters ; length of the body one 

 inch two lines. (Plate IX. fig. 4.) 



The female has more the appearance of a pupa 

 than a mature insect, the three great divisions of 

 the body being scarcely defined, and the whole en- 

 closed in a tough envelope. Here exist neither 

 spiral tongue (this, indeed, seems to be wanting in 

 the male also), palpi, nor antennas; the feet are 

 spurious, very short, and destitute of claws. The 

 eyes are rufescent ; the general colour of the body 

 brownish ; the neck and anus clothed with wool-like 

 hairs. (Plate IX. fig. 5.) 



It may well appear surprising, under such cir- 

 cumstances, how the sexes can communicate with 

 each other for the continuance of the species, the 

 female being continually enclosed in the pupa case, 

 which might be supposed to present an insuperable 

 obstacle to the approaches of the male. The mode 

 in which this is accomplished has already been 

 hinted at ; the ridge on the upper side of the thorax 

 splits asunder, and such is the length and flexibility 

 of the abdomen, and the peculiar construction of 

 the organs of generation, that this suffices for the 

 purpose. * 



The insect appears to be plentiful in many parts 

 of the West Indies, and is extremely injurious to 

 fruit-trees in gardens. It is difficult to determine 

 the proper relations of this moth ; in its habits and 



* Glans penis longitudine corporis, extensilis, non retractilis ? 

 spinalis recurvis sparsus. Guild'wg 



