208 



The larvse, together with fine specimens of the web, were originally- 

 sent to me by Helenus Scott, Esq., Police Magistrate of the Wol- 

 lombi district, who had himself obtained them early in July of last 

 year from his neighbour Mrs. Thomas Wiseman of Laguna House, 

 the original discoverer. This gift was accompanied by the following 

 remarks : — 



"Mrs. Thomas Wiseman of this district had placed a quantity of 

 shelled maize in a verandah room, 8 feet 6 inches long, 6 feet wide, 

 and 9 feet 3 inches high, the stone walls being plastered. At a 

 subsequent" period, this room being required for a bed- room, the 

 walls were found to be entirely and uniformly covered by a beautiful 

 white-coloured web, fastened at the ceiling, floor, and corners, by a 

 stouter and coarser fabric, and occasionally to portions of the wall 

 itself. So that in this instance an unbroken sheet of cloth contain- 

 ing some 72 square feet might with care have been obtained ; while 

 the whole of the web inside of the room would contain some 252 

 square feet." 



The specimens of this cloth sent to me were of the size of a large 

 handkerchief, having been rudely torn from the walls. In anticipa- 

 tion of obtaining other specimens, I gave mine to the Australian Mu- 

 seum in Sydney ; but now, unhappily, the whole of the remaining 

 portions of the original construction have been ruthlessly destroyed 

 by the servants. 



The samples now sent will, however, be sufficient to enable the ad- 

 mirers of the curious and beautiful to form an opinion by ocular 

 demonstration of the extreme delicacy and uniformity of the fabric. 



The Larva (fig. 1, natural size, fig. 2, magnified) is, when full- 

 grown, about ^g- inch in length, fleshy, with the head and first an- 

 nulation depressed, somewhat horny, and of a blackish brown. It 

 possesses sixteen feet. In colour pale yellowish white, with whorls 

 of six small black spots on each annulation, each emitting a tiny 

 hair. The caudal segment is spotted with brown. 



In confinement these Caterpillars were found to be active, with 

 a dislike to the light, so that when exposed they immediately com- 

 menced spinning their web over, and connecting several grains of 

 the maize together, upon the mealy portions of which they subsisted. 

 They had likewise lined the top and sides of the box with their 

 silken tissue. 



In their natural state I am of opinion that during the day they 

 conceal themselves between the wall and the web, and descend at 

 night to carry on their depredations ; — but this is mere supposition. 



At the latter end of August they changed to the chrysalis, each 

 larva forming a separate cocoon for itself amongst the maize, con- 

 sisting of a flimsy web somewhat tightly enveloping the chrysalis. 

 The chrysalis (fig. 3) is of a light yellowish-brown, with the wing- 

 cases largely developed, and of \ inch in length. 



The perfect insect (fig. 4) took wing in October, and is in expanse 

 J inch, and active in its movements. The superior wings elongated, 

 the costal margin arched, and apices rounded. General colour 

 greyish-brown, of a silvery hue, with stigmata and strigee of a darker 



