24 THE VICTORIAN NATUKALIST. 



by stealth. Then, again, Mr. Kershaw and myself found many 

 Noctuid moths, special Queensland types ; and the little 

 Pyrale (Zinckenia reciirvalis J , so common everywhere in the 

 South Pacific Islands and in Queensland, swarmed by way of 

 Gippsland and Frankston, even on to Melbourne. Since my 

 arrival here, in the beginning of last September, I have been 

 pleased to find so many of the upper zone (say 600 to 1400 

 feet) types of South-Eastern Victoria moths. I live a mile and a 

 quarter from the General Post Office — 'buses pass by my house 

 every few minutes. We are built in all around. But the house 

 stands up from the road, and is nearly surrounded by a small 

 garden. On particular days in September and October last 

 the fence round was simply swarming with beautiful insects. 

 The Lithosiadae, a family near the Bombyces, were the most 

 plentiful of the Macro-Lepidoptera. The micros were exceed- 

 ingly common and varied. Here I may mention that Gipps- 

 land and Fernshaw are most prolific in these types in Novem- 

 ber, Victorian specimens being about six weeks later than 

 Queensland ones on an average all round in time of appearance. 



In Gippsland I found a large footman, the Cala?nidia 

 Salpindus, Meyr. ; but sparingly. I caught the same in my 

 garden, quietly feeding at dusk on the honey of the passion- 

 fruit flowers. The Lithosia bicosta, L. spilarcha, L. bicolora, and 

 Scoliacina orthotoma all occur in both localities. But, in 

 addition, we get several other species, which may even yet be 

 found in Gippsland. The Lithosia alterna, a pretty species, 

 with black scalloped bands on a yellow ground, I found at 

 Kyneton, but have not seen it here. I need not say that the 

 Deiopeia pulchella (crimson spotted footman), so scarce in 

 Melbourne, is in certain seasons a very torment here. On 

 walls and fences the pretty little mosodas, and allied genera, 

 offer a prize to the arduous collector. The Mosoda sejmicta is a 

 prize in Victoria, but in my garden I got tired of taking it, and 

 preferred to capture the eight or nine other species which 

 played in among, but ever kept distinct from, each other's 

 reserves. One very pretty species, which I have christened 

 Currant Cake, is marked by black dots and bands on a rich 

 saffron ground. I took a dozen one night at light, but have 

 seen none since. 



The Arhodia lasiocamparia, a showy insect, sometimes with a 

 purple, at others a red, and, again, others with a yellow or buff 

 tinge, is a prize in the higher copses around Melbourne. Here 

 I take it at light. An allied species, Stngli?ia pyrrhata, some- 

 times orange red, at others buff, occurs at Healesville, Moe, 

 and in our woods. The Rhinodia rosfraria, one of the thorns, 

 occurs at Marysville, and as near Melbourne as Nunawading. 

 It also occurs in Upper Gippsland. It is the type species here. 

 The Lophodes sinistiaria is rare at Fernshaw and in Gippsland. 

 It is very common here, on trees and fences. The male is 



