TRANSFORMATIONS OF SOME SOUTH-AFRICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 303 



folding over a blue transverse streak at the incisions of the somites. Head and 

 thoracic legs ferruginous, spiracles white, with ferruginous centre. 



In the early moults this larva is ferruginous, the head and thoracic legs being black. 

 Feeds on Sclerocarya caff'ra (Sond.), called in Natal "the wild mango tree" — a 

 common tree in the coast districts, but not found higher up. 



When about to change the larva spins a greyish-white silky cocoon, with a line of 

 ventilation-holes round the exit end, which it attaches longitudinally to a twig of the 

 food-plant. The pupa is chocolate-brown and of the usual shape. This moth appears 

 to be double-brooded, the larva appearing in November and February, and the perfect 

 insects in January and the following October. 



Common at Sydenham, near Durban. 



2. Nudaurelia wahlbergi (Boisduval). (Plate XL VII. fig. 4, larva; fig. 5, pupa.) 



Larva. Ground-colour deep velvety black, each somite bearing four branched 

 ferruginous spines with reddish bases, two subdorsally and two laterally, from 2nd to 

 12th somite inclusive, the spines on the 2nd somite having black bases. Between the 

 subdorsal and the lateral row of spines are placed a collection of small yellow spots on 

 each somite; the red bases of the subdorsal and lateral spines being joined on 10th 

 and 11th somites. Spiracles white : a subspiracular row of small yellowish tubercles 

 bearing a few whitish hairs, one on each somite. Head and legs concolorous with 

 body. 



Feeds on English oak, but has also been taken in large numbers on peach-trees, in 

 gardens in Maritzburg — both these trees being imported species in Natal. When full- 

 fed it burrows underground, where it makes a sort of web 1 , inside which it undergoes 

 its transformation. Individuals which changed about 14th March reappeared as 

 imagines on 6th May and subsequent days. 



Pupa dark chocolate-brown. 



Common in Maritzburg. 



3. Bun^ea CAFFBARiA (Stoll). (Plate XLVII. rig. 8, larva.) 



Larva. Ground-colour deep velvety black ; each somite, from 4th to 12th, bearing 

 eight yellow tubercular processes, two subdorsally, two laterally, and four (in two rows) 

 on each side subspiracularly. The 2nd somite bears four black processes, two sub- 

 dorsally and two laterally ; the 3rd somite bears four black processes, as in the 2nd, 



' " The group of Antheraa to which this species belongs: — Nudaurelia — is noted for forming no cocoon, 

 and the closely allied species A. (N.) eytherea, menippe, and tyrrlua, as well as Buncea eaffraria, as far as I 

 have observed, simply bury themselves without any attempt at forming even a ' web.' " — R. Thimbu. 



