117 
CRYPTOPHASA IRRORATA. 
PLATE X. Figs. 1, 2. 
Lewin, Lepid. of Neio South Wales^ pi. 10. 
The genus Cryptophasa (or, as it was termed, 
section of the genus Bombyx) was established in 
1822 by Mr. Lewin, * for the reception of several 
very interesting moths, inhabitants of New South 
* Lewin had discovered these curious moths so early as 
1803, although entomolo^sts in general had no means of be- 
coming acquainted with them till the appearance of his -R-ork 
many years after. "We find the foUo'U'ing reference to them in 
a manuscript letter addressed to IMr. Dru Drury of London, 
the celebrated collector of insects, from New South Wales, 
7th March, 1803. " I was at a loss to know where to look for 
the larvjE of moths for a great while after I came here, for I 
never could find any in all my different travels into the country ; 
but now my smprise is at an end ; and I daresay you will be 
greatly pleased to hear that I have twenty drawings, with the 
larv-ae, chrysalis, and moths complete for engra^nng, of species 
which feed by night, and secrete themselves in a hole either in 
the body or branches of a tree. There they lie hid all the day, 
and sometimes for several days together ; for when they want 
to feed, they come out at night and gnaw off a small twig and 
drag it to their hiding-place to feed on at their leisure. They 
cover up their hole -with a web in a very careful manner, so 
that it requires a careful person to find their hiding-place." 
