Fam. Plutellidee.
Plutella, Schr.
P . c r u c i f e r a r u m , Tell.—One of those very minute Moths which
are so abundant in the Island.
Cerostoma, Latr.
*C. a n t i c e l l a , Walk.—A long, thin Moth, a native of the
Island, of which Mr. Walker gives the following description:—
“ iEneous brown, shining, silvery-whitish beneath; head palpi
above, and a broad stripe on the thorax, all very white; palpi
lanceolate, fringed beneath, longer than the breadth of the head;
forewings with an elongated transverse black spot in the disk
before the middle, and with a round black spot in the disk
beyond the middle; Length of the body three lines ; expansion of
the forewings eight lines.”
Fam. Gelechida.
Gelechia, Hiibn.
*G . S a n c ts e h e le n a e , Walk.—A long, narrow, whitish Moth,
which Mr. Walker describes as f o l l o w s “Male -and, female cinereous,
smooth, shining; head, thorax, and forewings pale fawn colour;
front broad; palpi longer than the breadth of the head ; third joint
much shorter than the second; forewings without any markings.
Length of the body four to five lines; expansion of the forewings
eleven to fourteen lines.”
*&. l ig n i f e r e l l a , Walk.—A somewhat smaller species than the
last, also described by Mr. Walker:—“ Pale, cinereous ; head thickly
tufted above; palpi ascending; secondjoint subclavate; third elongate-
conical, less than half the length of the second; thorax with three
brown stripes; forewings with some brown lines and with one
black line, which extends from the base ; exterior part with several
brown streaks. Length of the body four lines; expansion of the
forewings ten lines.”
Fam. Lithocoiletidm.
Lithocolletis, Zell.
*X. a u r i f a s c i a , W alk.—An extremely minute and very beautiful
Moth, of which Mr. Walker gives the following d e s c r ip t io n “ Steelcolour,
silvery beneath forewings, with a broad gilded silver-bordered
band beyond the middle. Length of the body one line; expansion
of the forewings three lines. The state of the specimen
recorded will not allow a more minute description.”
Cnemiostoma, Zell.
*C. a u r o n iv e a , Walk.—Another of those very small native Moths,
which Mr.-Walker thus describes:—“ Pure white; front broad,
rounded; eyes black; palpi decumbent; forewings gilded from one-
third of the length to the tips. Length of the body one line and a
h alf; expansion of the forewings four lines.”
Fam. Pterophoridce.
Pterophorus, Geoffr.
P. r u t i l a l i s , Walk.—This yellow Plume Moth is not common,
but is occasionally found hovering over flowers in the gardens on the
high land. I captured one or two specimens of it in the lily flowers,
and also amongst the honeysuckle blossoms at The Hermitage. I t
also inhabits Natal.
Platyptilus, Zell.
* P . s u b n o t a tu s , Walk.—A grey Plume Moth, easily recognised
by its similarity at first sight to a large Mosquito. I t is very rare,
and I obtained one specimen only, which was taken at The
- Hermitage on the high land. . Mr. Walker describes it as follows:
—“ Hoary antennae and legs white; forewings with three black
costal dots near the tip and opposite to three more which are near
the interior border. Length of the body three lines ; expansion of
the forewings six lines.”
O r d e r D ip t e r a .
One of the most largely represented Orders, and that which the
visitor in the summer months, especially if fresh from Europe, will
not fail to become acquainted with in less than twenty-four hours
after arriving at the Island. The Mosquitos are certainly not either
abundant, large, or voracious, but in every respect troublesome
enough to cause a sleepless night, and a firm resolve not to pass
another in the place without the aid of mosquito curtains. The day
mosquito, which is, however, the most voracious, and which produces
large blisters on every part of the body to which it can gain access,
o