117 



CRYPTOPHASA IRRORATA. 



PLATE X. Figs. 1, 2. 



Letoin, Lepid. of New South Wales, pi. 10. 



The genus Cryptophasa (or, as it was termed, 

 section of the genus Bombyx) was established in 

 1822 by Mr. Lewin, * for the reception of several 

 very interesting moths, inhabitants of New South 



* Lewin had discovered these curious moths so early as 

 1803, although entomologists in general had no means of be- 

 coming acquainted with them till the appearance of his work 

 many years after. We find the following reference to them in 

 a manuscript letter addressed to Mr. Dru Drury of London, 

 the celebrated collector of insects, from New South Wales, 

 7th March, 1803. " I was at a loss to know where to look for 

 the larvae of moths for a great while after I came here, for I 

 never could find any in all my different travels into the country ; 

 but now my surprise is at an end ; and I daresay you will be 

 greatly pleased to hear that I have twenty drawings, with the 

 larvae, chrysalis, and moths complete for engraving, of species 

 which feed by night, and secrete themselves in a hole either in 

 the body or branches of a tree. There they lie hid all the day, 

 and sometimes for several days together ; for when they want 

 to feed, they come out at night and gnaw off a small twig and 

 drag it to their hiding-place to feed on at their leisure. They 

 cover up their hole with a web in a very careful manner, so 

 that it requires a careful person to find their hiding-place. " 



