THE OEELONG NATUHALIST. 
59 
March. I have caught the perfect moth in December. The 
second, or Snowy Footman is a pretty white insect with black 
edging to the wings, and an orange dash on the top of the front 
ones, two black spots on the fore wings near the front edge, and 
two large black spots on the lower portion of the hind wings. 
The lavse are found under the bark of gum trees in July and 
August. Scoliacma licolor belongs to the family of ArctiadcB. 
In this family the antenae are moderately long, often pectinated 
in the male; body, generally stout; wings and abdomen, brightly 
coloured ; larvae, hairy. Termessa Nivosa belongs to the same 
family. 
The Ermine Moths. (Spilosoma) . 
Spilosoma obliqua, (Walk) or Light Ermine Moth as well as 
the Dark Ermine {S. glatignyi) are considered by some to be 
simply varieties of the same insect, the black markings on the 
thorax being the principle difference between the two species. 
The body of the moth is orange with black stripes or spots, wings 
creamy white with black markings. This is a very common 
moth about Geelong; from December to May specimens may 
be obtained, the caterpillars are brown, and very hairy, and 
when alarmed coil themselves up into a ring. There was a very 
good article in the Australasian by Mr E. Anderson some time 
since upon this moth. They make cocoon and use the long hairs 
of their body in the manufacture of it. The eggs are said to be 
deposited in patches on the under sides of low plants and the 
leaves of different garden flowers, such as marigolds, geraniums, 
&c. ; it is also said those in the ranges are darker than those 
found on low-lying country. The caterpillars feed on the 
goodenia ovata. There are two other species of Spilosoma 
catalogued for Australia, namely : S.fuscinula and S. guinguefascia 
(Lucas) . 
The Sooty Day Moth, Nyctemera arnica (White). The 
antenaee is sometimes pectinated in the males ; it belongs to the 
family of Sypsidoe. I have repeatedly caught these about 
Geelong, and have had them also from Queensland. The wings 
of these moths are dull black with pale lemon blotches, body 
yellow, with black rings. The caterpillar is black and hairy with 
a red stripe down the back, and down the sides there are two 
bunches of hair sticking out in front like horns. Their favourite 
food is said to be the native plant senecio scundens. The cater- 
pillar may be observed in the months of July and August, they 
may be found sunning themselves in exposed situations, such as 
on timber, fences, logs, &c. The moths generally appear in 
September and October, and I have had them in the chrysalis as 
late as February, the moth appearing in March. This is a day- 
flying insect. 
Fortheiia obsoleta or the Lesser Brown Tail, as E. Anderson 
