26 AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEEA 



OPHIUSA SENEX, Walkki:.— (Plate XVIII). 



Ophiusa seneo; Walker, Cat. Lep. Het. Brit. Mus., Noct, XV., p. 1832 (1858). 

 Catocala albo-fasciata, Scott, MS. 



This is by no means a common insect, and very few specimens have hitherto come into our possession, and these only from 

 Ash Island, where we found the larvae, in February, feeding on the native Ash tree (Elmcarpus ohovatus). It usually lies extended 

 close to the bark, to which it assimilates so exactly in colour as to render detection very difficult. Although the feet are all present, 

 the pair on the sixth segment are slightly inferior in size to the others, and this, combined with the elongation of the fourth, fifth, 

 and sixth segments, causes the caterpillar to loop slightly when in the act of walking. When fully extended it measures 2| inches, 

 is attenuated in form and rather flat beneath, of a light fawn colour covered with longitudinal rows of minute black dots and 

 striations, those above the stigmata forming two wavy bands ; on the eleventh segment is a small double protuberance, tipped with 

 yellow and outlined with black, and on each side near the back is a row of small black spots, one on each segment ; head fawn 

 colour mottled with brown dots and striations, arranged in bands ; thoracic feet yellowish. 



The cocoons were formed in March, and consisted of a coarse silken web, covered externally with fragments of earth and 

 dried leaves. The chrysalis (fig. 1) is about 1 inch long, moderately stout, rounded at the head, and throughout dark shining 

 reddish-black. 



The moth did not take wing until the following December ; it measures a little over 2 inches in expanse. 



The Antcmm setaceous, stem covered with scales above, beneath pubescent, with a lateral row of small set* ; the tip 



(fig. 2) terminating in a horny seta emitting a few hairs. 



The Labial palpi basal and terminal joints equal in length, second joint nearly twice as long ; basal and second joints thickly 

 covered with feathery scales, terminal only moderately scaly ; rounded at the apex : the whole projecting 

 forwards and upwards until even with the top of the head (fig. 3). 



'Tl^^ ^'9^' anterior pair comparatively small ; intermediate pair with two, and posterior pair with four rather large 



spurs ; tibiae of the anterior and posterior pairs thickly covered with feathery scales, second pair on'ly 

 moderately so, but in the male this joint is provided at the base with a large fan-like tuft of long hairs 

 (fig. 4), which can be concealed in a groove at the side of the joint ; tarsi all moderately hairy and with 

 a few rows of setas. 



Wings decumbent in repose ; insect nocturnal. 



The superior wing, with the exception of a portion of the outer margin which is inclosed within a convex line which passes 

 from the tip to about one-third of posterior margin, is rich chocolate-brown, relieved by a broad white transverse bar, widest at the 

 costal and posterior margins, and there finely speckled with purplish-brown ; a second short transverse bar of dark olive-brown 

 edged with white intersects the chocolate-brown close to the tip, which is slightly falcate ; the remainder of wing between the outer 

 margin and chocolate-brown is olive-brown, with an indistinct scalloped line, and a row of small brown spots following the outline 

 of margm. The inferior wmg is dark neutral-tint, with a wavy whitish band across the disc, and a large whitish patchdouded with 

 black, near the anal angle; marginal border whitish ; head and thorax dark brown; abdomen olive-brown banded with darker- 

 antenna) white above, brown beneath. Underside fawn coloured, suffused with darker externally, and with numerous dark wavy 

 transverse lines. 



The caterpillar and moth are represented, with the Elaocarpus ohovatus in seed. 



