Part 16

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 of _Sestra 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 as _S. humeraria_.

Genus 5.--GONOPHYLLA, Meyr.

"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.) (Plate II., figs. 63 and 64, neuration of _Gonophylla 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.)

(Plate X., figs. 3 and 4 [M] varieties, 5 and 6 [F] 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 are _rich reddish-brown, mottled with darker_; there are several small white marks on the costa; a black dot in the middle of the wing, and _an 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-wings {91}orange-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.

Genus 6.--DREPANODES, Gn.

"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. (Plate II., figs. 61 and 62 neuration of _Drepanodes 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.)

(Plate X., figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 [M] varieties, 12 [F].)

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 paler {92}colouring. 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 5/8 inch in length. It may be beaten in February from an undergrowth of _Carpodetus_ and _Aristotelia_.

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.

Genus 7.--AZELINA, Gn.

"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.) (Plate II., figs. 54 and 55, neuration of _Azelina 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.)

(Plate X., figs. 13 to 20 [M] varieties, 21 to 23 [F] 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.

{93}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.)

(Plate X., fig. 26 [M], 27 [M] variety, 28 [F].)

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 Plate X., fig. 27.)

This insect is evidently closely allied to _Azelina 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 of _Azelina_. 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.)

(Plate X., fig. 24 [M], 25 [F].)

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, with _a 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.

{94}Genus 8.--IPANA, Walk.

"Face roughly haired. Antennæ in male simple, shortly ciliated. Palpi as in _Declana_. 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.)

(Plate X., figs. 29, 31, and 31A [M] varieties, 30 [F].)

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 of _Declana junctilinea_, I am unable to assign the localities there mentioned to either of the species.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1½ inches, of the female 1-3/8 inches. The fore-wings of the male are uniform pale brownish-ochreous, generally with two transverse series of minute darker brown dots parallel to the termen, and two or three similar dots near the middle of the wing. There is a series of very small parallel brown lines on the costa. The hind-wings are greyish-brown with two very deep indentations in the termen. The female has the fore-wings pale grey, and the hind-wings darker grey; the markings and outline resemble the male.

In a few male specimens I have observed four large black spots on the fore-wings, two near the base, and two near the termen. All these spots are sometimes joined together by a very broad black band, which extends along the whole of the central portion of the fore-wings. I have also a male specimen in which the fore-wings are entirely marbled with dark grey. In the female two or three moderately large spots are occasionally present on the fore-wings, near the termen. All these varieties appear to be much scarcer than the typical form.

The larva, which feeds on manuka (_Leptospermum_), has ten legs. It is rather slender, dark brown, mottled with grey and dull red. There are two large tubercles on the sides of the seventh and eighth segments. It is a sluggish caterpillar and is generally seen in a motionless condition, clasping the stem of its food-plant with its prolegs, and holding the rest of its body in a perfectly rigid position like a small branch. The pupa is enclosed in a cocoon of silk and refuse on the surface of the ground.

The perfect insect appears in January, February and March. It is a forest-dwelling species, and may often be captured in some numbers, at dusk, on the flowers of the white rata (_M. scandens_). It is very sluggish and nearly always drops to the ground when disturbed and feigns death.

Genus 9.--DECLANA, Walk.

"Face roughly haired. Antennæ in male bi-pectinated to apex or simple. Palpi with second joint ascending, rough-haired, terminal joint rather long, slender, clavate, porrected. Thorax densely hairy above and beneath, with more or less developed median crest. Femora densely hairy. Fore-wings in male without fovea; vein 6 sometimes out of 9, 10 sometimes out of 9, connected or anastomosing with 9, 11 sometimes out of 10, sometimes connected or anastomosing with 10."--(Meyrick.) (Plate II., figs. 56 and 57, neuration of _Declana floccosa_, 58 head of ditto.)

We have seven species.

{95}DECLANA ATRONIVEA, Walk.

(_Detunda atronivea_, Walk., Suppl. ii. 619. _Chlenias_ (?) _manxifera_, Fereday, Trans. N. Z. Inst. xii. (1879), 268, pl. ix. 1. _Detunda atronivea_, Meyr., ib. xvi. 101.)

(Plate X., fig. 33 [M], 34 [F]; Plate III., fig. 18, larva.)

This very handsome and conspicuous insect appears to be restricted to the North Island, where it is rather rare. It has occurred at Wellington, Otaki, and Napier.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1-5/8 inches, of the female nearly 2 inches. The fore-wings are _brilliant shining white, with numerous black markings_; these consist chiefly of three irregular branching transverse bands, and a series of wedge-shaped spots on the termen; the larger markings are brownish in the centre. The hind-wings are dark grey, becoming almost black on the termen, with a fine wavy transverse black line.

This species varies considerably in the size and shape of the black markings on the fore-wings, which are often slightly different on the opposite sides, in the same specimen.

The eggs of this moth are oval in shape, slightly roughened on the surface and light blue in colour. They are deposited towards the end of October. The young larva escapes by gnawing a hole out of the side.

When first hatched it is dull brownish-black, with creamy-white lateral lines and prolegs; the head is reddish. It feeds on _Panax arborea_. After the first moult the lateral lines become much wider, especially towards the head. After the second moult the two dorsal tubercles are fully developed, the thoracic segments much swollen and flattened above, the latter bearing traces of the black markings of the full-grown larva. After the third moult the larva becomes a dark brownish colour inclining to chocolate on the dorsal surface. The characteristic markings on the penultimate and anal segments of the adult larva now appear, and the dorsal tubercles are yellowish in colour; the extra prolegs are very small, and are visible as wart-like appendages on the lower surface of the tenth segment.

The full-grown caterpillar is a remarkable-looking animal. The head is very small; the first three segments of the body are enormously swollen and flattened above, the flattened portions being white, with several small black ring-shaped markings; there is a pair of large yellowish tubercles on the dorsal surface of the seventh segment, and two smaller ones on the tenth and eleventh segments; the larva is much stouter towards the posterior extremity, especially behind the ninth segment; the penultimate segment is furnished with a large creamy-white ridge, starting on the back and proceeding downwards and forwards; the extra pair of prolegs is small and only occasionally used in walking. The general colour of the larva is brownish- or blackish-green; the tenth and eleventh segments are generally darker, and there are many fine parallel lines of darker colouring on the central portions of the larva; the whole insect is also speckled with black; the spiracles are red. The larva varies a good deal in colour, but its peculiar structure will at once distinguish it from any other.

These larvæ often coil themselves up when at rest, clinging firmly with their large prolegs to their food-plant. Whilst thus engaged they have a very remarkable appearance. I have not yet ascertained the precise object of the peculiar shape and coloration of this caterpillar. It appears to resemble very closely a lichen-covered twig, but I suspect in this case there is something more special aimed at.

In connection with this subject, it is noteworthy that the flattened extremities of the elytra of the beetle, _Ectopsis ferrugalis_, closely resemble in both shape and colour the remarkable anterior segments of the larva of _D. atronivea_. As both insects feed on the same plant, and thus exist under very similar conditions, it is highly probable that the peculiarities have been independently acquired in each species for similar purposes.

The pupa is enclosed in a light cocoon amongst dead leaves, &c, on the surface of the ground.

{96}The perfect insect appears in February and March, and may sometimes be taken at blossoms in the evening. It is also attracted by light, and has been found occasionally, in the daytime, resting on tree-trunks. It hibernates during the winter, coming abroad again the following spring to lay its eggs. I have observed that a good many pupæ from the autumnal brood do not emerge until September or October, so that the insect evidently spends the winter both as a pupa and as an imago.

DECLANA EGREGIA, Feld.

(_Chlenias egregia_, Feld. cxxxi. 24; Fereday, Trans. N. Z. Inst. xii. 268, pl. ix. 2. _Detunda egregia_, Meyr., ib. xvi. 101.)

(Plate X., fig. 35.)

This very handsome insect has occurred in the South Island at Nelson, Christchurch, Akaroa and the Otira Gorge.

The expansion of the wings is about 1¾ inches. _The fore-wings are creamy-white; there is a small dark brown mark at the base, a broad transverse wavy brown band before the middle, a very large four-cornered irregular brown mark beyond the middle, one of its corners touching the apex and the other the tornus_; the termen is shaded with pale grey, and there is a series of faint brown marks on the costa and dorsum. The hind-wings are dull white, darker towards the termen; there are two very faint transverse lines.

The perfect insect appears from November till February. It is a very rare species.

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

DECLANA FLOCCOSA, Walk.

(_Declana floccosa_, Walk. xv. 1649. _Argua scabra_, Walk, xxviii. 448. _Declana feredayi_, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 398, pl. xliii. 5. _Declana nigrosparsa_, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 500. _Declana floccosa_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 102.)

(Plate X., figs. 39 to 43 [M] varieties, 44 to 47 [F] ditto.)

This species has occurred very commonly at Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. It is probably generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is about 1-3/8 inches. The fore-wings are pale greyish-white with numerous small brownish-black streaks, exhibiting a slight concentration near the apex. The hind-wings are dull white, clouded with greyish towards the termen.