10 
SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
actual experiments instead of theoretic deductions, which can at 
best be only guesses at the truth. 
Sub-family.— PLAT YPTILINJE. 
STENOPTILIA, Hb. 
Synopsis of the Species. 
First segment of f.w. with anal angle .. zophodactyla 
“First segment of f.w. without anal angle .. petrsea 
Stenoptilia zophodactyla, Dup. 
Duponchel, Hist. Nat. Lep., XL, 668, t. 314, 4; Leech, Brit. 
Pyral. 60 ; Meyr., Handbk, 440 ; Tutt, Brit. Lep., V., 319 ; Meyr., 
E. M. M., 1907, 146 ; Meyr., T. E. S., 1907, 504. 
Distribution. —Diyatalawa, Hakgala, Madulsima. 
In Ceylon this is decidedly a hill species, being found on dry 
patana hillsides at a height of about 4,000 feet and over. 
Its recorded distribution outside Ceylon includes Argentina, 
Eastern Australia, India, Central and Southern Europe, Asia 
Minor, and Armenia. 
Early Stages. —The egg is quite of the Platyptilid type, being oval, 
with both ends equal and rounded oh. In colour it is of a uniform 
pale green, the surface delicately reticulated. 
The early stages of the larva have not yet been observed in 
Ceylon, but the following is a description of a full-fed larva found 
at Diyatalawa on September 17, 1907 :— 
“ The larva, at rest and apparently about full-fed, is about 10 mm. 
long, stout, stoutest about third segment and tapering thence 
gradually. Head pale yellow with black ocelli. Colour a pale 
green, the spiracles narrowly ringed with black ; they are situated 
about half way up the segments but do not seem raised above the 
skin-surface at all. There is a broad medio-dorsal stripe, purple at 
the edges, but very dark internally. This is narrowly and obscurely 
edged by a narrow whitish-green longitudinal stripe, of a tint 
slightly paler than the ground-colour. Half way between the lower 
edge of this stripe and the spiracle is a second similar whitish-green 
stripe, and a third similar stripe occurs on the latero-ventral surface 
at a distance below the spiracle, equal to that of the second stripe 
above it. The two latero-dorsal setigerous tubercles are situated 
at a horizontal distance apart, equal to about one-third of the width 
of the segment; the foremost one bears a short black hair, the 
aftermost a similar wdiite hair ; the tubercles themselves are very 
small and inconspicuous. Just above the spiracle occurs a short 
white hair, directed outwards. Just below the spiracle are (i.) a 
very short white hair directed forward, (ii.) a short white hair 
directed backward. The whole body, particularly on the dorsal 
and ventral regions, is thickly covered with minute short, black, 
bristly hairs. The legs are fairly large and are yellowish in colour ; 
