58 
THE GEELONG NATTJBALIST. 
wings, and the markings on the edge of the upper wings 
consist of two rows of little pale lemon spots. Mr. 
Ernest Anderson has given an account of these moths in the 
Victorian Naturalist ; also Mr. A. Purnell has given an interest- 
ing description of the moth laying its eggs, and the descending 
into the ground of the lavse to form its chysalis, (see the Oeelong 
Naturalist, Yol. Y, No. 1). A. Latinus is occasionally found at 
Geelong, This moth is apt to be confused with A. Glycine, the 
principal difference is, it has fewer lemon markings on the 
upper wings. The specimen I have, has only one broad band 
across the centre of the wing, and no small stripes on the edge 
of the wings, the edge of the under wings being lemon coloured. 
It is a rare species here and not often found. Besides the 
above-mentioned, there are four other Agarista catalogued, 
namely, A. Agricola, A. Canarinae (Scott), A. EpJiyra (Walk) 
A. Donovani (Bdv.), but these I have never seen. 
The Dark Spotted Swift Moth, Forina Fuscomaculata 
(Walk) was very abundant at Highton in June, 1895, and if 
the window was left open, dozens would fly into the house to the 
light, and my sisters. Misses Mulder, were quite startled by their 
repeated tapping at the window in damp weather, until they 
found out what it was afterwards. They caught quite a 
number of them. The moth is about 2 inches across the wings^ 
the upper wings a dark brown with darker markings, the under 
wings a light brown with no markings. They are called Swift 
Moths on account of their rapid flight, sometimes they are termed 
Ghost Moths. The principal difference between these and the 
Sphinx Moths appear to be the tongue; in the Sphinx, this organ 
is very long, while in the Swift it is absent or nearly so. 
E. Anderson says : — " They are remarkable for the curious 
manner in which numbers of males will hover over one spot, 
flying from side to side in measured flight resembling the 
movement of a pendulum. It has been observed in certain 
species, that this swaying flight in some mysterious manner 
attracts the female, which, apparently possessing the privilege 
of proposal, asserts it by flying against the object of her choice 
and knocking him out of the dance. These moths eject their 
eggs while flying over the herbage. The caterpillars live under- 
ground, feeding on the roots of grasses, reeds, &c., and they are 
not adverse to making a meal on root crops. There are two 
other Porinas catalogued — P. Australis, or the Golden Swift 
and P. Niphadias. 
The two Pootman Moths, Scoliacma hicolor (Bdr.) and 
Termessa Nivosa (Walk) I have caught in the forest. The 
former is called the Barred Crimson Footman, the wings are 
crimson with a broad band of black along the margin. They 
are said to have two broods in the year, in November and 
