Part 13

The expansion of the wings is about 1-1/8 inches. _The fore-wings are bright orange-yellow; the base is speckled with black and dull green scales; there is a rather indistinct band at about one-third; a broad wavy dark brown band a little beyond the middle, with a projection towards the termen, followed by a clear space and another broad irregular dark transverse band_; the termen is broadly bordered with dark brown, which is often almost continuous with the last-named transverse band. _The hind-wings are bright orange; there is a large speckled area near the base edged with a curved black line, followed by a clear space, and an interrupted dark brown transverse line considerably beyond the middle_; the termen is rather narrowly edged with a dark brown line, wavy towards the base of the wing. The cilia of all the wings are yellow barred with black.

The species varies considerably in the extent of the dark markings, especially on the fore-wings.

The egg is oval and white, without sculpture.

The young larva, which is very attenuated, has sixteen legs. Its colour is pale yellowish-brown above, and dull ochreous beneath. The food-plant is unknown.

The perfect insect appears from October till March, and frequents open, grassy situations. At Wellington, during October and November, it is common on the cliffs close to the shores of Cook's Strait, flying very rapidly on hot, sunny days, which renders its capture very difficult in such steep situations. Mr. Fereday's specimens were obtained amongst the tussock grass at the foot of Mount Hutt. The insect was also found plentifully on the slopes of Mount Arthur, at an elevation of about 4,500 feet above the sea-level, and also on the Tararua Range in the North Island.

DASYURIS HECTORI, Butl.

(_Euclidia hectori_, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 387, pl. xlii. 4. _Statira hectori_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 91. _Stathmonyma hectori_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 32.)

This very striking species has occurred in the South Island at Mount Arthur, Mount Hutt, and Ben Lomond, Lake Wakatipu.

The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. _All the wings are dark greyish-black, speckled with bluish-grey scales._ The fore-wings have five rather indistinct wavy darker transverse lines, and a very broad darker shading near the termen; there is a fine white mark near the apex, continued as an indistinct wavy line towards the tornus. The hind-wings have three or four {71}indistinct darker transverse lines, and a very broad terminal shading; there are two, more or less distinct, fine, wavy, white lines, the first a little below the middle, and the second near the termen; the cilia are dark grey barred with pale grey. _On the under side all the wings are dark blackish-grey, traversed by six broad, wavy whitish lines._

The perfect insect appears in December, January and February, and frequents rocky crags on mountains, at elevations of from 4,700 to 5,700 feet above the sea-level. It delights to rest on blackened rocks in the hottest sunshine, but dashes away with the greatest rapidity on the approach of the collector, so that it is generally rather difficult to capture.

Genus 14.--NOTOREAS, Meyr.

"Face roughly haired. Palpi moderate, second joint with long or very long spreading hairs beneath, terminal joint moderate or rather long, often concealed. Antennæ in male bi-pectinated. Thorax beneath more or less strongly clothed with long hairs. Fore-wings with vein 6 rising out of 9, 7 almost from angle of areole, 10 anastomosing moderately with 9, 11 anastomosing moderately or very shortly with 10, 12 free. Hind-wings normal."--(Meyrick.) (See Plate II., fig. 43, fore-wing of _Notoreas brephos_.)

This interesting genus, of which we have no less than fifteen species, comprises a number of gaily coloured little insects, chiefly inhabiting mountain regions. All the species are day-fliers, and most of them only appear during the hottest sunshine. Mr. Meyrick regards the genus _Notoreas_ as most closely approaching to the ancestor of the family _Hydriomenidæ_.

NOTOREAS INSIGNIS, Butl.

(_Aspilates insignis_, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 393, pl. xliii. 1. _Pasithea insignis_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 85. _Notoreas insignis_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 3 [M].)

This very striking species has been taken in the South Island at Castle Hill.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1¼ inches, of the female 1 inch. _The fore-wings of the male are dull yellowish-brown; in the middle of the wing there is an almost straight long white streak from the base to about three-fourths; there is another straight white streak parallel to the termen and almost touching the apex. The hind-wings are bright ochreous speckled with brown near the base._ The female has the wings rather narrower than the male, and the ground colour is paler.

The perfect insect appears in January. Mr. Fereday's specimens, which formed the basis for the above figure and description, were captured on a bare mountain side at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. Mr. Hawthorne has directed my attention to the remarkable similarity existing between the markings on the fore-wings of this species and those on _Xanthorhoe stinaria_.

NOTOREAS ORPHNÆA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea orphnæa_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 85. _Notoreas orphnæa_, ib. xviii. 184.)

This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick in the South Island at Lake Wakatipu.

The expansion of the wings of the female is from 28 to 30 mm. (about 1¼ inches). "Fore-wings moderate, termen rounded; dark fuscous, mixed with yellowish and whitish, which tend to form alternate fasciæ; a discal dot and numerous curved irregularly dentate blackish lines, varying in strength and intensity; cilia barred with blackish and whitish. Hind-wings moderate, termen rounded; dark fuscous; a blackish discal dot; a cloudy whitish irroration forming a double curved fascia beyond middle, and a dentate subterminal line; cilia as in fore-wings.

"Imitative in colour of the dark lichen-grown rocks.

{72}"I took three specimens almost on the summit of Ben Lomond, Lake Wakatipu, at 5,600 feet, in January."--(Meyrick.)

NOTOREAS ISOLEUCA, Meyr.

(_Notoreas isoleuca_, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1897, 386.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 27.)

This little species has been taken in the South Island on the Craigieburn Range, near Castle Hill.

The expansion of the wings is about ¾ inch. _All the wings are very dark blackish-brown; the fore-wings have five slender wavy white transverse lines. The hind-wings have three white transverse lines_, the first near the base, the second near the middle, and the third, which is very slender and considerably broken, near the termen. _The cilia of all the wings are white, barred with blackish-brown._

The perfect insect was captured in January, amongst a varied growth of stunted Alpine vegetation, at an elevation of about 5,600 feet.

NOTOREAS MECHANITIS, Meyr.

(_Pasithea mechanitis_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 86. _Notoreas mechanitis_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., figs. 9, 10, 11, varieties.)

This insect has occurred in the South Island at Mount Arthur, Arthur's Pass and Mount Hutt.

The expansion of the wings is about 7/8 inch. _All the wings are dark brownish-black. The fore-wings have an almost straight transverse yellow or white stripe near the base, edged with black towards the body; a rather wavy stripe at about one-third, edged with black towards the termen; then several irregular yellowish or white spots or marks, followed by a very distinct white stripe, somewhat projecting towards the termen near the middle; there is a broken fine yellow line near the termen._ The hind-wings have a shaded white or yellow transverse line near the base, another near the middle, a third, considerably finer and often broken, near the termen. The cilia of all the wings are white shaded with grey near the base, _but with no distinct bars_.

The perfect insect appears from January till March, and flies with great activity in the hottest sunshine. It frequents grassy mountain sides at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 feet above the sea-level, and in these situations it is often very abundant.

NOTOREAS PARADELPHA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea paradelpha_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 86. _Notoreas paradelpha_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., figs. 12, 13, 14, varieties.)

In the South Island this insect has occurred on Mount Arthur, and on Ben Lomond, Lake Wakatipu, at elevations of from 3,600 to 5,000 feet.

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The species is said to be distinguished from the preceding "by the barred cilia, the absence of any clear yellow colouring, the less prominent angulation of the post-median line and the more elongate wings."[39] (Meyrick.)

The perfect insect appears in December, January and February. In habits it exactly resembles _Notoreas mechanitis_.

NOTOREAS PERORNATA, Walk.

(_Fidonia perornata_, Walk. 1672. _Pasithea perornata_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 87. _Notoreas perornata_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, varieties.)

This very pretty insect has occurred at Palmerston and Wellington in the North Island, and at Kekerangu, Mount Arthur, Lake Coleridge, Mount Hutt and Lake Wakatipu, in the South Island.

{73}The expansion of the wings is about ¾ inch. _The fore-wings are dark brownish-black, with five transverse white or orange-yellow lines, which vary considerably both in width and colour in different specimens_; the two basal lines are almost straight, the rest are wavy, the last but one has, near the middle, a strong projection towards the termen. _The hind-wings are bright orange, with three or four more or less broken black transverse lines._ The termen is narrowly bordered with black; the cilia of all the wings are white, more or less distinctly barred with blackish-brown.

The perfect insect appears in February, March and April, flying very actively in the hot afternoon sunshine. It is extremely abundant on the coast hills in the neighbourhood of Wellington. It also occurs commonly at Kekerangu, and is occasionally found on mountains as high as from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level. I have observed that all the Wellington specimens have the transverse lines on the fore-wings narrow and mostly white; those from Mount Arthur broad and white, those from Kekerangu and Lake Wakatipu broad and orange-yellow. The last-named forms approximate most closely to some of the very yellow varieties of _Notoreas paradelpha_.[40]

NOTOREAS STRATEGICA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea strategica_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 87. _Notoreas strategica_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 15.)

A single specimen of this conspicuous species was taken in the South Island at Lake Guyon, by Mr. W. T. L. Travers.

The expansion of the wings is 1-3/8 inches. _The fore-wings are dull yellowish-brown, becoming blackish-brown near the base; there are two broad white transverse lines near the base, the outermost slightly curved, then a dull orange shading, followed by a very broad, outwardly bent, white transverse band, edged with black towards the base_; between this band and the termen there is a fine wavy white transverse line. _The hind-wings are dull yellowish-brown near the base, becoming blackish towards the termen; there is a small cream-coloured area near the base, then two rather broad, slightly irregular, cream-coloured bands, and a rather fine wavy white line near the termen._ The cilia of all the wings are white, barred with blackish-brown.

The perfect insect appears in January.

Described and figured from the type specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.

NOTOREAS CALLICRENA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea callicrena_ Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 87. _Notoreas callicrena_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 16.)

A single specimen of this very handsome species was captured by Mr. Fereday in the South Island, high on the mountains at the head of Lake Wakatipu.

The expansion of the wings is 1-3/8 inches. _The fore-wings are deep orange-brown, shaded with black near the base and in the vicinity of the three cream-coloured transverse bands; the first of these bands is situated near the base, the second at about one-third, and the third, which is rather wavy, at about two-thirds_; there is a fine wavy white line close to the termen. _The hind-wings are dark grey, with two broad cream-coloured bands, the first near the base and the second near the middle_; there is a slender wavy line near the termen. The cilia of all the wings are cream-coloured, barred with brownish-black.

The perfect insect appears in January, and evidently frequents high mountains.

Described and figured from the type-specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.

{74}NOTOREAS NIPHOCRENA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea niphocrena_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 88. _Notoreas niphocrena_, ib. xviii. 184.)

This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick in the South Island, at Arthur's Pass, West Coast Road.

"The expansion of the wings of the female is from 24 to 25 mm. (1 inch). Fore-wings moderate, termen rounded; rather dark fuscous, mixed and obscurely striated with orange; a curved white subdentate line before one-fourth, anteriorly blackish-margined; a similar white line beyond one-fourth, posteriorly blackish-margined; space between these sometimes suffused with orange; a slender irregularly dentate white fascia beyond middle, rather strongly angulated in middle, anteriorly blackish-margined, posteriorly closely followed by a dentate orange line; a dentate orange line near termen, dilated on costa. Hind-wings moderate, termen rounded; orange, lighter anteriorly; basal half dark fuscous mixed with orange, its outer edge irregularly curved; a dentate subterminal fascia and narrow terminal fascia dark fuscous, sometimes obscure.

"Possibly when the male is known this may prove to be a _Dasyuris_.

"I took two specimens on the mountain-side above Arthur's Pass at 4,500 feet, in January."--(Meyrick.)

NOTOREAS SIMPLEX, n. sp.

(Plate VIII., fig. 26.)

A single specimen of this species was captured on Mount Arthur in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is about 1-1/8 inches. _The fore-wings are bright ochreous; there are four broad black transverse bands near the base, edged with white, and separated from one another by yellow spaces of almost equal width_; the outermost of these bands is situated a little more than half-way between the base and termen; the last two lines become obsolete before they reach the costa; there are no other markings, except a black shading on the termen near the tornus, which is traversed by an obscure jagged paler line; the cilia are white barred with black. The hind-wings are bright orange-yellow, without markings; the cilia are ochreous.

The perfect insect appears in January.

The type-specimen was taken on the mountain-side, at an elevation of about 4,000 feet.

NOTOREAS FEROX, Butl.

(_Fidonia ferox_, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 392, pl. xlii. 8. _Pasithea ferox_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 88. _Notoreas ferox_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 17.)

Two specimens of this species were captured by Mr. J. D. Enys, at Castle Hill in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull brown, with numerous fine, wavy, dusky lines and a faint dot above the middle. The hind-wings are orange-yellow, dotted with black near the base; _there is a rather broad_ STRAIGHT _transverse black band near the middle, followed by a much finer wavy line; there are three fine, wavy lines parallel with the termen, and the termen itself is finely bordered with black._

Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.

NOTOREAS ZOPYRA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea zopyra_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 89. _Notoreas zopyra_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., figs. 18 and 19, varieties.)

This bright-looking little species has occurred at Mount Arthur and at Mount Hutt, in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is about ¾ inch. The fore-wings are _dark bluish-grey_, with numerous slender, wavy, blackish transverse lines, and a distinct blackish dot above the middle. The hind-wings are _bright orange_, speckled with grey near the base and dorsum; there are from two to four very fine, wavy, broken, blackish, transverse lines, and the termen is narrowly bordered with black.

{75}The perfect insect appears in January, frequenting shingle flats on the mountain sides, at about 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It flies rapidly in the hottest sunshine, and, when it alights on the stones, is extremely difficult to find. The brilliant hind-wings, which are very conspicuous when the moth is flying, quite disqualify the eye from detecting the extremely obscure object, which the insect instantly becomes when resting with its fore-wings alone exposed. This method of increasing the value of protective tints by means of bright colours temporarily displayed was very clearly described, I believe for the first time, by Lord Walsingham in his address to the Fellows of the Entomological Society of London, in January, 1891. It is certainly well exemplified by this and several other species of the genus _Notoreas_, and it will be at once noticed by the collector, how extremely difficult it is to follow these active little moths, as they fly with short and rapid flight over the grey rocks and stones, with which their fore-wings so completely harmonize; the momentary glimpse obtained of the brilliant hind-wings so completely deceives the eye, that there is much more difficulty in marking the spot where the insect alights, than would have been the case if the brilliant colour had never been displayed.

NOTOREAS VULCANICA, Meyr.

(_Pasithea vulcanica_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 89. _Notoreas vulcanica_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 24.)

This species has been taken in the North Island at Makotuku, and the Kaweka Range, in the Hawkes Bay District.

The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. The fore-wings are _very dark blackish-grey_; there is a rather narrow black transverse line near the base, another at about one-third; then a small black dot, followed by a wavy, rather broad, black band, and two cloudy wavy black transverse lines near the termen. The hind-wings are _very dark orange; there is a large black basal patch, then a broad black band joining the basal patch near the dorsum; beyond this is a fine black line, then another broad black line followed by a very fine wavy line of the orange ground colour; the termen is very broadly margined with black_.

The perfect insect appears from January to March. Mr. Meyrick states that he found it resting on the roads near Makotuku.

Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection.

NOTOREAS BREPHOS, Walk.

(_Fidonia brephosata_, Walk. 1037; Butl., Cat. pl. iii. 14. _Larentia catocalaria_, Gn., E. M. M. v. 62. _Fidonia brephos_, Feld. cxxix. 5. _Pasithea brephos_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 89. _Notoreas brephos_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., figs. 20, 21, 22, and 23, varieties.)

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

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings are dark grey; there is a wavy black line near the base, two similar lines enclosing a very broad central area, with a black dot a little above the middle; beyond this there is a more or less distinct wavy band of pale grey or brown; there are several obscure wavy blackish lines near the termen. The hind-wings are bright orange, dotted with grey near the base and dorsum, with from two to four more or less distinct wavy black transverse lines, generally rather narrow; the termen is moderately broadly bordered with black.

This insect is extremely variable, and, so far as I can judge from an extensive series, several of the varieties appear to indicate that both _Notoreas zopyra_ and _N. vulcanica_ may ultimately have to be ranked as varieties of _N. brephos_, but the evidence on this point is not yet conclusive enough to render such a course at present desirable.

{76}The perfect insect appears from December to March. It is very active, and is extremely fond of settling on roads or bare ground in the hot sunshine, instantly darting away on the approach of an enemy. It is also common on the mountains, and is often found at elevations of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level.

NOTOREAS OMICHLIAS, Meyr.

(_Pasithea omichlias_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 90. _Notoreas omichlias_, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 25.)

Two specimens of this dull-looking little species were captured at Castle Hill, by Mr. J. D. Enys.

The expansion of the wings is 7/8 inch. _All the wings are dark grey_; the fore-wings have several obscure blackish marks near the base, _a dull black spot on the costa at about one-third with a yellowish centre; beyond this there are four similar spots forming a transverse band_, and several more or less conspicuous wavy blackish lines near the termen. The hind-wings have several obscure wavy blackish transverse lines near the base and dorsum; the cilia are pale grey, obscurely barred with darker grey.

The perfect insect was taken "high up" on the mountains, probably at an elevation of about 5,000 feet.

This species is probably often overlooked through being mistaken for _Xanthorhoe cinerearia_.

Genus 15.--SAMANA, Walk.

"Face loosely haired. Palpi long, straight, porrected, attenuated. Antennæ in male dentate, ciliated (1). Fore-wings with vein 6 rising below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 anastomosing strongly with 9, 11 anastomosing strongly with 10, 12 free. Hind-wings normal."--(Meyrick.)

Of this genus we have two species in New Zealand.

SAMANA FALCATELLA, Walk.

(_Samana falcatella_, Walk. xxvii. 197. _Panagra falcatella_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 93. _Samana falcatella_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvii. 65.)

(Plate VIII., fig. 36.)

This unusual-looking species has occurred in the South Island, at Nelson and at Dunedin.

The expansion of the wings is 1¼ inches. The fore-wings are very pale ochreous, speckled with grey; _there is a very fine longitudinal black streak from a little beyond the base to considerably before the middle, slightly clouded above; an elongate dot above the middle; a very oblique slightly curved black streak from near the apex to the middle of the dorsum, edged with white towards the base, and clouded with brown towards the termen_; the apex of the wing is very acute. The hind-wings are white, with a black dot above the middle.

The perfect insect appears in February. It is apparently a rare species.

SAMANA ACUTATA, Butl.

(_Samana acutata_, Butl., P. Z. S. L. 1877, 401; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvii. 67.)

The type-specimen of this species exists in the collection of the British Museum. According to Mr. Meyrick, who made a cursory examination of it, the species differs from _S. falcatella_ in the following respects:--

The first dark line runs from the dorsum near the base to below the costa before the middle; the lower extremity of the second line is connected with the tornus by an oblique streak.

{77}Family 2.--STERRHIDÆ.

"Face smooth. Tongue developed. Palpi shortly rough-scaled. Fore-wings with vein 10 rising out of 9, 11 anastomosing or connected with 9. Hind-wings with vein 5 fully developed, rising from middle of transverse vein, parallel to 4, 8 very shortly anastomosing with upper margin of cell near base, thence rapidly diverging."--(Meyrick.) (See Plate II., figs. 49 and 50.)