26 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



OlKETICUS SAUNDERSII. WestWOOd. 



Larva (full-grown). — Head chestnut colour, mottled with a 

 darker shade. Body dull pitchy black, segments 2, 3, and 4 with 

 5 longitudinal streaks of dull orange, and a sordid white dorsal 

 line. The rest of the body is pitchy black, except that on the 

 sides of 5, 6 and 7, above the spiracles, are some oblique dull 

 orange dashes. The head, tarsi, and anterior segments bear a few 

 tawny hairs. Length, 60 mm. Width, 9 mm. This species has 

 made its appearance in Victoria within the past 30 years, and is 

 now extremely abundant, though difficult to raise to the imago. 

 The larva feeds voraciously on the imported Finns insignis, and 

 the case, which is lined with fine drab silk, is ornamented with 

 fragments of the leaves and stems of its food plant. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 



Dear Sir, — In the February-March number of the Naturalist a 

 letter appears from Mr. C. French, jun., recording the finding of 

 two (2) eggs of the Bronze Cuckoo in one nest. 



I do not think that it necessarily follows that the two eggs 

 were laid by the one bird, but would like to have the opinion of 

 older oologists on the matter. 



In my note-book, under date 20/2/90, I find the following : — 

 " My attention was attracted to-day by the very peculiar behaviour 

 of a pair of crows and two other birds, who, on closer inspection, 

 proved to be young Channel-bill Cuckoos ( Acythrops novo? 

 hollandice). I had heard that the crow was the foster parent 

 of this, the largest of our Australian cuckoos, but had never 

 before noted them in company. What struck me as remarkable 

 was the fact that there were two young cuckoos being reared by 

 the one pair of crows." 



This, I think, is a parallel case with that of your correspondent. 

 That eggs of two and even three varieties of Cuckoo have been 

 taken in one nest I am well aware, but never before noted two of 

 one species being reared in the same nest. 



Trusting this may be of interest to some of my fellow members, 

 yours, &c, 



E. M. CORNWALL. 



Townsville, Queensland, 22nd March, 1890. 



CURRENT NOTES. 



Curious Action of Butterflies. — The following observa- 

 tion of that prettiest of our Victorian butterflies, Papilio 

 macleayanus, may prove of interest to those members ot our 

 club who collect Lepidoptera. This butterfly (specimers of 



