312 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JourNaL. [1 Aprin, 1898. 
plants occur—and whence it may be inferred the moths emanate—suffer as a 
rule to a greater extent from the special depredations that they occasion than 
do others that have no such environment. 
The habit of the moths, however, which has led to this communication, 18 
that of boring with their horny probosces, or antilia, through the rind of the 
ripe or ripening orange for the purpose, that they thus accomplish, of imbibing 
the juice of the fruit. Several not infrequently alight on a single orange with 
this object, and are to be observed with their probosces still inserted deep into 
the rind, so that their capture may be readily accomplished. As a result of 
these injuries, that in great part consist in air being admitted to the fruit-pulp 
beneath the rind, the orange drops to the ground and quickly rots. 
Some have denied, as is more particularly set forth in the concluding section 
of this article (vid. pp. 314 and 315), that these moths perforate the fruit them- 
selves, as they regard this action on their part as a physical impossibility. On 
the other hand, they assert that the moths, though they visit the fruit and 
imbibe its juices, yet avail themselves of the holes that have been already 
made by other insects, and thus suck the juice through channels in whose 
preparation they have taken no part. The only insects, however, that have 
been specifically mentioned as probable precursors of these attacks are the 
ordinary Fruit Fly and an orange-frequenting Green Plant Bug with thorn- 
like expansions on each side of its thorax—a species of Rhynchocoris. The 
latter, however, restricts its attention to green immature fruit, which it 
certainly probes; and the former, or Fruit Fly, though it may no doubt 
occasionally act in the capacity referred to, and the moth avail itself of a means 
of access to the juice of the fruit that it has provided, does not invariably do 
so, for it generally happens that damaged fruit harbours neither eggs nor fly- 
maggots, a fact ascertainable by direct observation, and inferred from the 
circumstance that fruit flies cannot invariably or even often be reared from 
damaged fruit, which would be otherwise were the ovipositor or egg-placer of 
the fly the exclusive agent in making the perforation. 
As concerning the allegations that it is a physical impossibility, it should 
be borne in mind that I’. Moore, the able, monographer of the Ophiderine, 
whilst referring to the exercise of this habit in Othreis fullonica, does not 
express any doubt regarding the accuracy of the observations that have given 
rise to the narrative that he quotes; nor, indeed, does he question the ability of 
the moth itself to perform the mechanical operations that such depredations 
as have been attributed to it involve. Moreover, the curious and exceptionally 
formed proboscis (or applied maxilla) has been shown by a French naturalist, 
J. Kiinckel d’Herculais (cf ‘‘ Historical,” pp. 314 and 315), not only in the 
case of Othreis fullonica, but also in those of A. materna, M. salaminia, and 
O. imperator, as well as other species, to be specially and exceptionally adapted 
to this end.* 
This proboscis, or antilia, is made up of two applied maxillw, and 
about one-eighth part of its length is occupied by the teretron or borer. 
This is a double organ, consisting of two similar halves. One of the halves, 
or what really is the end of a maxilla, is thus described by Dr. R. B. Read, of 
Sydney, whose account of it is here given to escape the generally undesirable 
act of translating an author’s description, as would have been necessary in 
making use of Kiinckel d’Herculais’ memoir; and since it is most accurate 
with regard to detail :— 
Upper and Outer Surface—Tip acutely pointed, expanding upwards into three 
barbs, two of which, the first and third, are placed on the outer side, whilst the 
second is intermediate between them, and next the line of junction with the maxille. 
From the barbed portion the terminal begins to expand, and on its upper surface is 
presented, in a line above the second barb, a curved projection terminating abruptly, 
showing a sharp oval gauge-like edge; the’ interior ‘of the projection is erie 
se acre a Tisk Dearvans Pee DYE ae We raise eee en eae 
* Les Lepidopteres, & trompe perforante, destructeurs des oranges. Compt. Rendus, 61, 
Paris, 1875, pp. 397-400, and Plate. : : a 
