THE XYLORYCTTDiE OF QUEENSLAND. 
The family Xyloryctidae was instituted by Mr. E. Meyrick, B. A., 
F.E.S., to receive a large and important section of the Tineina. His 
monograph, published in the transactions of the Royal Society of 
South Australia, 1890, page 23, laid the foundation of all our 
knowledge of this group, which he defines as follows : — 
" Head smooth or with more or less loosely appressed hairs ; 
ocelli absent ; tongue developed. Antennae f — f- ; in male pectinated, 
ciliated, or simple, basal joint without pecten. Labial palpi recurved, 
terminal joint pointed. Maxillary palpi very short, more or less 
appressed to tongue. Abdomen in male with uncus developed, 
variable in length. Forewings with vein 1 furcate towards base, 7 
and 8 stalked or rarely separate or coincident, 11 from middle of cell. 
Hindwings as broad or generally broader than forewings, trapezoidal 
to ovate, 1 b clothed with long hairs above towards base, shortly 
furcate at base, 3 and 4 from a point or stalked, 6 and 7 stalked or 
approximated towards base, 8 connected with upper margin of cell by 
a short bar." 
The family is most nearly related to the Oeeophoridae, and many 
species of both families present such a close general resemblance that 
care is necessary to avoid confusing them. This can always be 
done by observing the neuration of the hindwings, and there are also 
usually other points of distinction which are however not quite absolute. 
For the classification of the genera we are indebted to Meyrick's paper 
quoted above, which will be repeatedly referred to in the following 
pages. In the few instances in which I have ventured to differ from 
Mr. Meyrick it has been in the endeavour to apply his methods to the 
more ample material at my disposal. 
A number of species have been more recently described by Dr. T. 
P. Lucas, of Brisbane, and by Mr. Oswald Lower, of South Australia. 
Of these, I have noticed all those of the former author, having had the 
good fortune to obtain access in all but one instance to the original 
types. Those of Lower's species which occur in Queensland are also 
referred to. 
This paper owes its value mainly to the splendid collection placed 
at my disposal by Mr. It. Illidge, whose assiduous labours in the 
discovery and rearing of the larvae have resulted in a rich harvest of 
specimens of new or previously little known species. Mr. I\ P. Dodd has 
obtained a small but highly interesting collection of specimens reared 
from larvae found in the neighbourhood of Charters Towers ; these 
are now in Mr. illidge's collection. Our previous knowledge of this 
family in Queensland was mainly due to specimens obtained by the 
late Mr. G. Barnard, of Duaringa. 
There yet remain however many new species, more particularly 
of the less conspicuous genera, to be discovered in the locality of 
Brisbane ; and our knowledge of those in the more distant parts of 
the colony is still extremely fragmentary. 
