Genus 2.—HYBERNIA, Latr.

The eggs are oval with the surface honeycombed; they are pale green in colour.The young larva, when first hatched, is much attenuated, light reddish-brown with a broad pale lateral stripe, and a few bristles. The full-grown larva measures about 1½ inches in length; it is rather slender and has a large hump on the sixth segment. Its colour is dark reddish-brown, mottled and striped with dull white and greenish.

The eggs are oval with the surface honeycombed; they are pale green in colour.

The young larva, when first hatched, is much attenuated, light reddish-brown with a broad pale lateral stripe, and a few bristles. The full-grown larva measures about 1½ inches in length; it is rather slender and has a large hump on the sixth segment. Its colour is dark reddish-brown, mottled and striped with dull white and greenish.

It feeds on the white rata (Metrosideros scandens). During the day it firmly grasps a stem of its food-plant with its prolegs, holding the rest of its body out from the branch in a perfectly straight and rigid position. When in this attitude it so exactly resembles a twig, that, even in the case of captive specimens, it is often a matter of the greatest difficulty to find a caterpillar amongst the branches. Several times I have even caught hold of a larva, thinking it to be a twig, so perfect is the resemblance. At night these larvæ become much more active, and by the aid of a lantern they may then be seen busily walking about and feeding.

The pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon about two inches below the surface of the earth. The larvæ of the autumnal brood remain in this condition during the winter, but in the case of the spring and summer broods the pupa state only occupies a few weeks.

The moth appears from November till May. It is very common in forest regions, and may be observed resting on the trunks of the trees, its pale yellow hind-wings being completely concealed by the mottled brown fore-wings. In this position the insect is almost invisible, and the protection afforded by its colouring is at once apparent. In the autumn evenings it is often very abundant at the blossoms of the white rata.

SELIDOSEMA ARISTARCHA, Meyr.

(Selidosema aristarcha, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxiv. 216.)

(PlateIX., fig. 17 ♂, 18 ♀; PlateIII., fig. 17, larva.)

Of this fine species only about a dozen specimens have hitherto been captured, all of which have occurred in the immediate vicinity of Wellington. It is consequently at present a rarity, but future collectors will probably find the insect in many other parts of the country.

The expansion of the wings varies from 1¼ to 1½ inches. The fore-wings are light ochreous-brown; there is a small white-edged brown spot near the base; two oblique curved brown transverse lines enclosing between them a white space towards the dorsum; a short stripe on the costa, near the middle, edged with white towards the base of the wing; a doubly curved transverse line beyond the middle, finely edged with white towards the base of the wing; there is also a short white-edged brown stripe extending from the apex of the wing to the last-named transverse line, the two lines enclosing between them a small pale triangular area; there are five short longitudinal brown lines running from the termen to the outermost of the transverse lines, two of them being tipped with white towards the base of the wing. The hind-wings are dull ochreous-brown, with two very faint brown transverse lines towards the dorsum, and several whitish spots and one brown spot near the tornus. The female is a little darker in colour than the male.

This insect varies slightly in size.

The larva feeds onCyathea dealbata(tree-fern) in September. Its colour is dull reddish-brown with an irregular brownish-black blotch on the side of each segment, and a dark brown dorsal line. It is very sluggish in its habits.

The pupa is concealed amongst moss, &c., on the surface of the ground, the insect remaining in this state for about six weeks.

The moth appears from September till March, and frequents dense forests. It has been dislodged from its food-plant in the daytime, and has also been taken on the flowers of the white rata in the evening.

SELIDOSEMA MELINATA, Feld.

(Numeria melinata, Feld. cxxix. 9.Pseudocoremia indistincta, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 394, pl. xliii. 8.Pseudocoremia melinata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 99.)

(PlateIX., fig. 15 ♂, 16 ♀.)

This species is very common, and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1¼ inches, of the female 1½ inches. The fore-wings aredull greenish-grey, with black markings; there is a transverse line near the base; another near the middle, followed by two broken irregular lines, then a broader, paler area sometimes white, followed by a series of jagged pale markings shaded with black. The hind-wings are ochreous mottled with pale brown near the dorsum; there is a series of black dots on the termen of both fore- and hind-wings.

This species is extremely variable, but may always be recognised by its greenish tinge, and the absence of indentations on the termen of both fore- and hind-wings.

The larva, according to Mr. Purdie, is about ¾ inch long; dull green with darker longitudinal striations. It may be beaten from New Zealand broom (Carmichælia) in February. There must be some other commoner food-plant, as the moth is found in many localities where the New Zealand broom does not occur.

The perfect insect appears from November till March, and is generally very abundant in all wooded districts. It is also common in birch forests on the mountain sides, where it may be taken at altitudes of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level.In the lowlands I have observed as many as half a dozen specimens on a single tree-trunk. Whilst resting in this situation they are very inconspicuous, the colouring of the fore-wings harmonizing perfectly with the insect's surroundings, and the pale-coloured hind-wings being then entirely concealed by the upper pair. In connection with this fact it is very interesting to notice that in all those cases where the hind-wings are exposed to view during repose, they are protectively coloured in a similar manner to the fore-wings. It will be observed that the two following species ofSelidosemaexhibit protective colouring on both pairs of wings, these being invariably exposed when the insects are at rest.

SELIDOSEMA DEJECTARIA.

(Boarmia dejectaria, Walk. 394.Boarmia attracta, Walk. 394.Boarmia exprompta, Walk. 395.Tephrosia patularia, Walk. 422; Butl., Cat., pl. iii. 8.Tephrosia scriptaria, Walk. 422.Scotosia erebinata, Walk. 1358.Scotosia stigmaticata, Walk. 1359.Scotosia lignosata, Walk. 1361.Gnophos pannularia, Gn., E. M. M. v. 42.Scotopteryx maoriata, Feld. cxxvi. 4.Hemerophila(?)sulpitiata, Feld. cxxvi. 7.Hemerophila caprimulgata, Feld. cxxvi. 12.Boarmia dejectaria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 100.)

(PlateIX., figs. 19, 20, 21 and 22 ♂ varieties, 23 and 24 ♀ ditto; PlateIII., fig. 12, larva.)

This large insect is very common, and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is from 1½ to 2 inches. The fore-wings vary from pale ochreous to very dark rich brown; there is an oblique transverse line near the base, often enclosing a darker basal area; a small dark brown spot in the middle of the wing surrounded by a ring; a very oblique, wavy, transverse line beyond the middle, often double towards the dorsum, and several irregular markings on the termen; there is often a white spot on the middle of the termen, and a pale blotch on the apex of the wing. The hind-wings resemble the fore-wings in colour; there are two obscure transverse lines near the base; generally forming a dark basal area; a wavy line near the middle, and a strongly shaded line near the termen. The termen of both the wings is indented, the depth of the indentations varying greatly in different specimens.

This insect is very variable, but its large size andoblique transverse linessuffice to distinguish it from any of the other allied species.

The larva feeds on a great variety of plants, mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), white rata (Metrosideros scandens),Solanum aviculare, fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata), andPennantia corymbosabeing amongst the number. The caterpillar may often be recognised by a large hump, which is situated on each side of the third segment. Its colouring appears to be so entirely influenced by its surroundings that a description is impossible. For instance, larvæ taken from the pale green foliage of the mahoe resemble in colour the twigs of that plant; others captured feeding on the white rata are dark reddish-brown, those fromSolanum aviculareare purplish slate-colour, whilst those from the fuchsia are pale olive-green tinged with brown, like the sprouting twigs.

The pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon situated about two inches below the surface of the ground. Those larvæ which become full grown in the autumn remain as pupæ during the winter, but the summer broods only remain in the pupa state a few weeks.

The perfect insect appears from November till March. It has a great partiality for resting with outspread wings on the walls of sheds and outhouses, where it is frequently noticed by the most casual observer. It is very common in most situations, and may be taken in large numbers at sugar, light, or blossoms, during the whole of the summer. Its extreme abundance and great variability, in both the larval and imago states, would render it a good subject for a series of experiments, resembling those conducted by Messrs. Poulton and Merrifield on several allied European species.

SELIDOSEMA PANAGRATA, Walk.

(Scotosia panagrata, Walk. 1360.Angerona menanaria, Walk. 1500.Epirrhanthis(?)antipodaria, Feld. cxxvi. 3.Hyperythra desiccata, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 495.Hyperythra arenacea, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 495.Barsine panagrata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 100.)

(PlateIX., figs. 25, 26, 27, and 28 ♂ varieties, 29 and 30 ♀ ditto.)

This species is very common, and generally distributed throughout the country. It has occurred as far south as Stewart Island.

The expansion of the wings is from 1½ to 1¾ inches. The fore-wings of the male vary from pale yellowish-white to rich brown or dark brownish-black; there is a jagged transverse line near the base; a large black or white spot in the middle of the wing; a doubly curved transverse line beyond the middle, then a very jagged transverse line, followed by several paler markings, and an obscure line parallel with the termen. The hind-wings are paler in colour; there is a slightly curved transverse line near the base; a jagged line near the middle, and a very faint line beyond the middle. The termen of both fore- and hind-wings is slightly indented. The female varies from pale ochreous to dark slate-colour; the markings resemble those of the male, but the termen of the wings is more indented.

This species is so extremely variable that a more detailed description would be useless; its numerous forms may, however, be at once recognised by theunbroken jagged transverse lines of both fore- and hind-wings.

The larva is quite as variable as the perfect insect. When very young it is bright green, with a conspicuous white dorsal line; as age advances the caterpillar becomes dark olive-brown, sometimes striped with paler brown or green, whilst many specimens retain the green colouring throughout the whole of their lives. The favourite food-plant is the kawa-kawa (Piper excelsum), which the larvæ voraciously devour, thus causing the riddled appearance which the leaves of that plant almost invariably present. These larvæ often select a forked twig to rest in, where they lie curled round, with the head and tail close together. Other food-plants areAristotelia racemosaandMyrtus bullata. Those caterpillars found on the latter plant are strongly tinged with pink, and are consequently very inconspicuous amongst the young shoots, where they generally feed. The burrows of the larvæ ofHepialus virescensare frequently utilised by the caterpillars, which feed on theAristotelia, as convenient retreats during the winter. When full-grown these caterpillars descend to the ground and construct loose cocoons of silk and earth on the under sides of fallen leaves. The moth usually emerges in about a month's time, but the autumnal larvæ either hibernate or remain in the pupa state throughout the winter.

The perfect insect appears from October till April. It frequents forest and is extremely common. It also occurs in great abundance on the white rata blossoms in the autumn, and specimens may be occasionally seen even in the depth of winter.

"Face with appressed scales or short rough scales. Tongue developed or weak. Antennæ in male bi-pectinated, pectinations sometimes short and terminating in fascicles of cilia, apex simple. Palpi shortly rough-scaled. Thorax with small triangular anterior crest, hairy beneath. Femora glabrous; posterior tibiæ in male not dilated. Fore-wings in male without fovea; vein 10 sometimes out of 9, sometimes anastomosing or connected with 9, 11 sometimes out of 10, usually anastomosing with or running into 12, rarely absent. Female semiapterous or apterous."—(Meyrick.)

We have one species.

HYBERNIA INDOCILIS, Walk.

(Zermizinga indocilisaria, Walk. 1530.Hybernia boreophilaria, Gn., E. M. M. v. 61.Hybernia indocilis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 97.)

(PlateIX., fig. 31 ♂, 32 ♀.)

This species has occurred plentifully in the neighbourhood of Christchurch.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1¼ inches, of the female ½ inch.All the wings are pale grey, speckled with darker grey. The fore-wings have four obscure wavy transverse lines; the first near the base, the second and third near the middle, rather close together, and the fourth near the termen, much interrupted; there is a series of black dots on the termen. The hind-wings have two very faint transverse lines, and a series of black terminal dots; the termen of the hind-wings is slightly scalloped. The cilia of all the wings are grey.The female has the wings extremely small and quite useless for flight; in colour and markings they resemble those of the male, except that the transverse lines are black and sharply defined.

The perfect insect appears from July to January. Mr. R. W. Fereday states that the male is found plentifully at rest on the bare ground, amongstLeptospermum, and the female on the stems.

Described and figured from specimens kindly given to me by Mr. Fereday.

"Face with a slight cone of scales. Palpi rather long, porrected, roughly scaled. Antennæ in male bi-pectinated. Fore-wings with vein 6 from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 very shortly touching 9, 11 free, 12 very shortly touching 11. Hind-wings normal."—(Meyrick.) (PlateII., figs. 51 and 52.)

This genus is represented by one species only.

I have made a very careful examination of several denuded specimens ofChalastra pelurgata, and I find that in the fore-wings veins 9, 10, and 11 rise almost from a point. Vein 10 afterwards approaches closely to 9, but does not actually touch it, and consequently does not form a true areole. Vein 12 also appears to me to be free.

CHALASTRA PELURGATA, Walk.

(Chalastra pelurgata, Walk. 1430.Itama cinerascens, Feld. cxxxi. 1.Stratocleis streptophora, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 106.)

(PlateIX., figs. 33 and 34 ♂ varieties, 35 and 36 ♀ ditto; PlateIII., fig. 21, larva.)

This species is very abundant in the neighbourhood of Wellington. It has also occurred at Palmerston North, and is probably common throughout the whole of the North Island. In the South Island it has been taken in the Otira Gorge, and at Dunedin, Otara and Invercargill.

The expansion of the wings is about 1⅜ inches.The fore-wings of the male vary from pale orange-brown to dull yellowish-brown; there is a doubly curved dark brown transverse line near the base;a broad straight line a little before the middle; a very strongly curved line a little beyond the middle, and a less strongly curved line near the termen, often composed of a series of triangular white dots edged with dark brown; all these lines are much stronger on the costa, and are sometimes almost obliterated elsewhere. The hind-wings are pale yellow, with several brown-edged white spots at the tornus, and an indistinct line parallel to the termen. The apex of the fore-wing is considerably produced, and there is a large rounded projection on the termen. The hind-wings have several small projections on the termen. In the female the fore-wings are pale yellow or orange, the transverse lines and white spots are usually more conspicuous, and the projections on the termen of the fore- and hind-wings larger.

This is a very variable insect, especially in the male, some specimens of which sex are very much clouded and dappled with dark brown both on the fore- and hind-wings.Many of these darker forms might readily be taken for distinct species, when compared with the pale orange-brown variety, but a good series of specimens presents numerous intermediate forms which completely connect these extreme varieties. The females also vary, but are never as dark as the males.

The larva feeds onTodea hymenophylloides, a fern which grows in shady places in the depths of the forest. The length of the caterpillar when full grown is about 1¼ inches. It is very variable; some specimens are dull brown, with a row of green or pale brown lunate spots down each side, and a dark brown line down the back. Others are bright green, with a diagonal reddish-brown stripe on the side of each segment; the segmental divisions are reddish-brown, intersected by numerous very minute whitish lines.

The pupa is enclosed in a loose cocoon on the surface of the ground.

The perfect insect appears from November till March, and is very common in forest regions. It may often be dislodged from the dead fronds surrounding the stems of tree-ferns, and is also met with in great abundance towards the end of summer on the blossoms of the white rata.

"Face smooth. Palpi short, rough-haired beneath, porrected. Antennæ in male stout, serrate, shortly ciliated. Fore-wings with vein 6 from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 rising out of 9 above origin, anastomosing again shortly with 9, 11 anastomosing shortly with 10, 12 anastomosing shortly with 11. Hind-wings normal."—(Meyrick.) (PlateII., fig. 53, neuration of fore-wing ofSestra humeraria.)

We have two species in New Zealand.

It will be seen that my figure of the neuration ofSestra humerariadoes not precisely agree with Mr. Meyrick's description. The differences in the results arrived at are probably due to the variability in structure of veins 10, 11 (and 12), mentioned when dealing with the characters of the entire family. Similar slight discrepancies also occur in connection with the three following genera.

SESTRA HUMERARIA, Walk.

(Macaria humeraria, Walk. 940.Lozogramma obtusaria, ib. 985.Cidaria obtruncata, ib. 1421.Sestra fusiplagiata, ib. 1751.Amastris encausta, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 105.Sestra humeraria, ib. xviii. 184.)

(PlateX., figs. 1 and 2 varieties; PlateIII., fig. 20, larva.)

This species is very common, and generally distributed throughout both the North and the South Islands; it also occurs plentifully at Stewart Island.

The expansion of the wings is 1⅜ inches.The fore-wings are pale plum-colour; there is an indistinct, curved, brownish transverse line near the base;a straight dark brown line across the middle, and a curved series of blackish dots beyond the middle; the apex is pointed, and the termen has a strong projection a little above the middle. The hind-wings are ochreous, with a series of minute brownish dots across the middle.

This is a variable species. The fore-wings are often much clouded with rich brown, and in some specimens scarcely a trace of the original purplish colour remains; the central straight transverse line is often absent, and the other lines are frequently very indistinct, except on the costa; the dots on the hind-wings are also often absent, and occasionally specimens are met with in which all the wings are almost white.

The larva is rather elongate, dull yellowish-brown or greenish-brown; there is a very broad dark brown dorsal line, and several wavy lateral lines; the prolegs are black, the spiracles are also black; there is a slight hump on the posterior edge of each of the last six segments, the hump on the penultimate segment being considerably larger than the others. The length of the caterpillar when full grown is about 1 inch.

It feeds onPteris incisa, a beautiful pale green fern, attaining a height of four feet or more, and growing in open situations in the forest. This fern is especially abundant on old decaying logs situated amongst light brushwood. When disturbed these larvæ immediately drop to the ground and coil themselves up. In this situation they are very inconspicuous, as their colouring so closely resembles that of the faded fronds or stems of the fern.

The pupa is buried in the earth about two inches below the surface, the insect remaining in this state during the winter months.

The moth first appears about September, and continues in great abundance until the end of March or beginning of April. It frequents forest, and is noticed most commonly in the neighbourhood of its food-plant. There are probably several broods in the course of a year.

SESTRA FLEXATA, Walk.

(Cidaria flexata, Walk. 1421.)

(PlateIX., fig. 37.)

This species has occasionally occurred in the neighbourhood of Wellington. I have no records of its capture elsewhere, but expect it will be found to be generally distributed.

The expansion of the wings is about 1¼ inches.The fore-wings are bright orange-red; there is a very faint transverse line near the base, darker on the costa; a dark red oblong mark on the costa near the middle; and a faint transverse line beyond the middle, also darker on the costa. The hind-wings are bright ochreous-yellow, with the cilia orange.

This insect varies considerably in the intensity of its colouring. It has long been considered as merely a variety ofSestra humeraria, but as I have not observed any intermediate forms, although the two insects frequently occur together, I think it may be regarded for the present as a distinct species.

The perfect insect appears from October till December, and is found in the same localities asS. humeraria.

"Face shortly rough-haired. Palpi moderate, arched, ascending, shortly rough-scaled, terminal joint short. Antennæ in male rather stout, pubescent. Coxæ and femora densely rough-haired beneath. Fore-wings with vein 6 from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 shortly touching 9, 11 separate, 12 free. Hind-wings normal."—(Meyrick.) (PlateII., figs. 63 and 64, neuration ofGonophylla nelsonaria.)

Of this genus we have but one species.

GONOPHYLLA NELSONARIA, Feld.

(Gonodontis(?)nelsonaria, Feld. cxxiii. 3.Gonodontis felix, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 389, pl. xlii. 10.Phyllodoce nelsonaria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 104.Gonophylla nelsonaria, ib. xviii. 184.)

(PlateX., figs. 3 and 4 ♂ varieties, 5 and 6 ♀ ditto.)

This handsome insect is common in the neighbourhood of Wellington. It has also occurred at Nelson and Dunedin, and is possibly generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. The fore-wings of the male arerich reddish-brown, mottled with darker; there are several small white marks on the costa; a black dot in the middle of the wing, andan almost straight white transverse line beyond the middle; outside this line the wing is speckled with greyish-white. The hind-wings are pale pinkish-brown; there is a black dot in the middle, and a curved blackish transverse line a little beyond the middle, being a continuation of the transverse line of the fore-wing; beyond this line, and on the dorsum, there are generally several small blackish markings. The female has the fore-wingsorange-red, speckled with darker; there is a doubly curved transverse line near the base, and an almost straight transverse line near the termen, both dark red; beyond the outer transverse line the wing is shaded with dark brown. The hind-wings are pale reddish-orange, with a curved blackish transverse line. In both sexes the apex of the fore-wing is projecting, and there is a strong angular projection on the termen a little before the middle; the termen of the hind-wing has several small projections.

The variation of this insect is considerable, especially in the male. The ground colour of the fore-wings often inclines to dull brown, or even dull yellowish-brown; the light and dark mottling, and the greyish markings near the termen are sometimes hardly visible; there is often a yellowish blotch opposite the large angle in the termen of the fore-wing. The hind-wings also are very variable in their colouring. All these varieties exist in the female in a less pronounced degree.

The perfect insect appears during the first week in February, and is generally over by the middle or end of March. The males are first noticed, the females not appearing until about a fortnight later. I have never taken this insect in the daytime, and in fact have never seen it except on the blossoms of the white rata, where, on fine evenings, it is often very abundant. As yet, however, Wellington is the only locality where I have met with it.

"Face with cone of scales. Palpi moderate, triangularly scaled, porrected. Antennæ in male moderate, simple. Fore-wings with vein 6 from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 very shortly touching 9, 11 rising out of 10 before angle of areole, 12 free. Hind-wings normal. (PlateII., figs. 61 and 62 neuration ofDrepanodes muriferata.)

A characteristic South American genus. The single New Zealand species is very similar to some South American forms."—(Meyrick.)

DREPANODES MURIFERATA, Walk.

(Gargaphia muriferata, Walk. 1635.Panagra ephyraria, Walk. 1761. ?Zanclognatha(?)cookaria, Feld. cxxiii. 26.Zanclognatha(?)haastiaria, Feld. cxxiii. 32.Drepanodes muriferata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 107.)

(PlateX., figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 ♂ varieties, 12 ♀.)

This species is very abundant in the neighbourhood of Wellington. It has also been taken at Taranaki, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Stewart Island, and is probably common and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. All the wings of the male are yellowish-brown; there is a faint transverse line near the base, and a conspicuous darker transverse line running from a little before the apex of the fore-wing to the middle of the dorsum of the hind-wing; there is also a dark spot in the centre of the fore-wing, often containing two white dots. In the female, all the wings are slate-coloured; the transverse lines are very faintly indicated, and the central dot of the fore-wing is reddish-brown. The apex of the fore-wing in each sex is conspicuously hooked, and the termen is bowed and sometimes has a very slight angle in the middle.

Both sexes of this insect are very variable. In the male, the ground colour ranges from dingy-brown to bright orange-brown; the transverse lines differ much in intensity, and in some specimens the central area of the wings enclosed by them is much darker than either the basal or the marginal portions; occasionally there is a series of black markings between the outer transverse line and the termen of the fore-wings, whilst the transverse line itself is frequently edged with a band of palercolouring. The female also varies in the ground colour and in the intensity of the transverse lines, which are sometimes marked by a few black dots.

The larva, according to Mr. Purdie, is light grey, cylindrical, about ⅝ inch in length. It may be beaten in February from an undergrowth ofCarpodetusandAristotelia.

The perfect insect appears from November till March. It frequents dense forest and is often very abundant. The colouring of the upper and under surfaces of its wings, and the shape of the wings are both very protective, giving the moth an exact resemblance to a dead leaf. When disturbed, the insect adds to this deception by keeping its wings quite motionless and rigidly extended, and allowing itself to fall through the air like a leaf. The resemblance in this case to the inanimate object is very perfect, and has no doubt enabled the moth to escape from many enemies. It is, in fact, an extremely interesting example of the simultaneous development of structure and instinct in a useful direction, through the agency of natural selection.

This species is much attracted both by light and by blossoms.

"Face with some projecting hairs. Palpi rather long, obliquely ascending, roughly scaled, attenuated. Antennæ in male thick, simple. Fore-wings with vein 6 from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 very shortly touching 9, 11 separate, 12 free. Hind-wings normal.A genus of some extent, specially characteristic of South America. Guenée made a separate genus (Polygonia) of the New Zealand species, but without any point of distinction."—(Meyrick.) (PlateII., figs. 54 and 55, neuration ofAzelina gallaria.)

A genus of some extent, specially characteristic of South America. Guenée made a separate genus (Polygonia) of the New Zealand species, but without any point of distinction."—(Meyrick.) (PlateII., figs. 54 and 55, neuration ofAzelina gallaria.)

We have three species in New Zealand.[42]

AZELINA GALLARIA, Walk.

(Selenia gallaria, Walk. 185, Butl., Cat., pl. iii. 6, 7.Euchlaena(?)palthidata, Feld. cxxxii. 21, 22.Stratocleis gallaria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 105;Azelina gallaria, xx. 62.)

(PlateX., figs. 13 to 20 ♂ varieties, 21 to 23 ♀ ditto.)

This species is very common in the neighbourhood of Wellington. It has also occurred at Palmerston North, Makotuku, Christchurch, Dunedin and Stewart Island.

The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings of the male vary from pale yellowish-brown to bright orange-brown, or reddish-brown; there is a wavy transverse line near the base, often obsolete except on the costa; another wavy transverse line beyond the middle, also frequently obsolete except on the costa;followed by a very conspicuous straight line, often double, running obliquely from a little before the apex to the dorsum; outside this line, near the tornus, there are, in most specimens, two black spots or one large rust-red spot; the termen has two projections near the apex, inside which there is usually a darker blotch. The hind-wings are as variable in colour as the fore-wings; there is one wavy line near the base,followed by an almost straight line, which is a continuation of the straight line of the fore-wing; beyond this line the ground colour is generally much darker; the termen itself has no projections. The female has broader wings and a shorter body than the male; the ground colour and markings are similar to those of the male, but are usually more sombre, and the termen of both fore- and hind-wings is furnished with a number of prominent projections. The under side of the wings in both sexes is beautifully marbled with yellow and reddish-brown, and several of the markings of the upper surface are faintly indicated.

This species, as will be seen from the foregoing, is so extremely variable that a more detailed description would be useless, especially as the straight, oblique, transverse lines of both fore- and hind-wings will at once distinguish it from the two other members of the genus.

The perfect insect appears from November till March. It frequents dense forest, and is most abundant at the flowers of the white rata in the evening. Earlier in the year, before the rata blooms, it may sometimes be taken at sugar.

AZELINA OPHIOPA, Meyr.

(Gonophylla ophiopa, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1897, 387.)

(PlateX., fig. 26 ♂, 27 ♂ variety, 28 ♀.)

This species has occurred occasionally in the neighbourhood of Wellington, but has not yet been recorded from any other locality.

The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. The fore-wings of the male are pale orange-brown; there is a doubly toothed shaded transverse line near the base, the teeth being marked with two black spots;a conspicuous wavy transverse line runs from the apex to the dorsum, and is also marked with several black dots; the space between the two transverse lines is paler than the rest of the wing; there is a row of small black dots on the termen, and the termen itself has two small projections. The hind-wings are yellowish at the base, becoming orange beyond the middle; there is a faint brownish transverse line near the base, and a conspicuous wavy transverse line at the middle, marked by a series of black dots; this central transverse line divides the yellowish ground colour of the basal area, from the orange ground colour of the rest of the wing. The female is larger and duller than the male; the fore-wings are yellowish drab, with the outer transverse line dull red; there is a series of minute black dots on the termen; the hind-wings are dull yellow, with a wavy central transverse line.

The only variety of this species which has come under my observation is a male. In this specimen all the wings are pale yellowish-brown, with very broad black transverse lines. (See PlateX., fig. 27.)

This insect is evidently closely allied toAzelina fortinata. It may, however, be distinguished from that species by the smaller projections on the termen of the fore- and hind-wings, and the dotted transverse lines of the male.

The perfect insect appears from January till April. It is met with much later in the season than either of the two other species ofAzelina. It frequents forest, and may be found on the blossoms of the white rata, but is, I think, the rarest of the genus.

AZELINA FORTINATA, Gn.

(Polygonia fortinata, Gn., E. M. M. v. 41.Caustoloma(?)ziczac, Feld. cxxxii. 4.Azelina fortinata, Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 106.)

(PlateX., fig. 24 ♂, 25 ♀.)

This beautiful insect occurs occasionally in forests in both the North and the South Islands. It has been taken at Wellington, Nelson, Castle Hill, Akaroa, Mount Hutt, West Plains and Otara.

The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings of the male are pale orange-brown, witha doubly toothed black transverse line near the base, and a less acutely toothed line beyond the middle; between these there is a black mark on the costa; the termen has two large projections, and several smaller ones; between the outer transverse line and the termen there are several small black markings. The hind-wings are yellowish, clouded with orange-brown towards the termen, which also has several projections; there is a faint blackish line near the base, and a much stronger black line near the middle, starting from the dorsum and reaching about half-way across the wing. The female has the fore-wings dark brown, with the central area between the two transverse lines paler; the hind-wings are also considerably darker than those in the male.

This species varies a little in the depth of the ground colour, but not otherwise.

The perfect insect appears in December, January and February. It frequents dense forest, and is generally disturbed from amongst ferns and undergrowth.

"Face roughly haired. Antennæ in male simple, shortly ciliated. Palpi as inDeclana. Thorax densely hairy above and beneath, with slight median crest. Abdomen in male elongate. Femora densely hairy; posterior tibiæ in male short and much swollen, furnished on inner side with very large dense tuft of hairs. Fore-wings in male without fovea; veins 10 and 11 separate."—(Meyrick).

We have one species in New Zealand.

IPANA LEPTOMERA, Walk.

(Ipana leptomera, Walk., Noct. 1662.)

(PlateX., figs. 29, 31, and 31A ♂ varieties, 30 ♀.)

This species is common in the neighbourhood of Wellington, and I expect generally distributed throughout New Zealand; but as there appears to have been some confusion in Mr. Meyrick's papers between it and the female ofDeclana junctilinea, I am unable to assign the localities there mentioned to either of the species.

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