8 AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTERA 



CllARAGIA EXIMIA, Scott.— (Plato XI, (?) 



O/im-ar/ia eximia, Scott, Trans. Eiitom. Soc, New South Wales, II., p. 35 (18C7); description of male. 

 rhloiojysyche eximia, Scott, MS. 

 Life-history : Scott, he. cit. 



We presented to our readers in Vol. I., Plate 2, two species of Charagia, and we now add another example of this beautiful 

 genus, regretting, however, that we can only figure the male, as we were unfortunately unsuccessful in our attempts to rear most 

 of the caterpillars we had collected, owing to the shrinking of tlic wood in which they lived. 



"We purpose to continue the series of these peculiarly Australasian insects, and hope in time to furnish illustrations of 

 the transformations of two of tlie largest and most conspicuous species, Charagia Bamsaiji and C. scripta. We cannot add anything 

 new in respect to the habits and metamorphoses of this insect, as these agree precisely w'ith the characters we have previously 

 given in detail of this group, and we must consequently refer the reader to our previous remarks for all particulars relating thereto. 

 The larvaj were found at one time in considerable numbers at Ash Island, in the small stems or branches of the Dodonwa viscosa, Linn. ; 

 but the destruction of these plants in the process of clearing the lands for cultivation in that particular locality, has since rendered 

 the attainment of this species a, matter of difiiculty to us. This caterpillar is cylindrical and fleshy, except the head and adjoining 

 segment, which are rough and corneous. The segments are muscular and well developed, and of a dull creamy white, tinged with 

 purplish red at their divisions, and also around the various longitudinal wrinkles which are placed at the lower portion of each 

 segment. The caterpillar is also slightly setigerous. The females are about 4J inches in length, the males smaller. 



The chrysalis (fig 1, male) measures rather more than lif inch, stoutest at the anterior portion. The colour yellowish-white, 

 becoming dark brown towards the head, where it is rough, corneous, and slightly setigerous : the abdomen encircled with hard 

 ridges. The male of the perfect insect measures 3 inches in expanse. 



The Antenna; (fig. 2, male) very short, setaceous, slightly moniliform, delicately ciliated above, with a few fine setae 



beneath. 



The Labial palpi (figs. 3 and 4) very small, projecting forwards and slightly downwards, and thinly covered with hair ; 

 terminal joint minute and conical ; basal about one-third less than the second, and somewhat inflated. 



The Lc(js with the anterior (fig. 5, male) and intermediate pairs long and powerful, densely and compactly clothed 



with hair ; posterior (fig. G, male) small, weak, covered sparingly with hair ; tibia} furnished exteriorly with 

 a long tuft of golden coloured hair. 



The moth, when at rest, suspends itself by its powerful anterior feet, the tips of the wings meeting beneath the abdomen, 

 which is not recurved as in Charagia lignivora and C. splcndcns before described. 



The superior wings are falcate in a greater degree than in any of our other species, and the ground colour throughout is of 

 a pale emerald green, chastely relieved by a series of numerous short slightly curved lines, exhibiting a chain-like pattern of bright 

 silver disposed transversely, each link, however, being interrupted by the nervures. These lines become, towards the base, more 

 irregular and labyrinthic. A dull golden band, also interrupted by the nervures, passes transversely through the disc, commencing 

 close to the costal, and terminating near the inner margin. The hind wings are of pale bluish green, partially clothed towards 

 the basal portion and abdominal n:argin with short silvery hairs. The cilia at the outer angle golden brown. The head, 

 prothorax, and patagia, similar in colour to the fore wings ; the thorax and abdomen to that of the hind wings, and covered on the 

 upper portion with silvery hairs. Eyes large, projecting, and dark purplish-brown. The underside is of a uniform pale whitish- 

 green, glossed with a golden tinge towards the tips of the wings. 



We have represented the male insect and the caterpillar in a branch of the Dodomm viscosa, or Native Hop, so called from 

 the winged seed capsules with which the plant is liberally covered. 



[During the past ten or twelve years Charagia eximia has been obtained by breeding in considerable numbers in the Lower 

 Hunter district. Indeed, for the past two seasons — as I am in a position to state from personal observation — it has been the most 

 abundant species of the genus, not only in that locality, but also in the immediate vicinity of Sydney. Mr. Scott suspected from 

 the large size of some of his larvie, that the male described above — the only example which he succeeded in rearing — was 

 undersized; but this has not proved to be the case. The males vary from ()'2 to 66 mm. in expanse, and the females from 100 to 

 112 mm. The following is a brief description of the latter sex : — 



? Antennoe brownish red. Head, thorax, apex of abdomen, and the anterior and intermediate legs bright grass-green; 

 basal half of abdomen pinkish salmon colour ; posterior legs pinkish yellow. Fore-wing bright grass-green, obscurely mottled 

 with transverse irregular wavy lines between the veins ; three moderately large silvery spots beyond the cell, indistinctly encircled 

 with brown, arranged obliquely one behind the other ; two very obscure brownish spots above anal angle, sometimes centred with 

 silver; costa marked with six or seven longitudinal brownish patches at intervals; outer margin narrowly, and inner margin 

 conspicuously, margined with brown. Hind-wing pinkish salmon colour, pale golden yellow externally, veins on outer margin 

 bright golden yellow ; underside pale salmon colour, sufi'used with golden yellow ; costa of forewing and hindwing obscurely 

 barred with brown. — A.S.O.i 



