Part 20

From the foregoing it may be seen that the variation in this insect is considerable. After a careful examination of a large number of specimens taken at various localities in both North and South Islands, I am, however, unable to find characters of sufficient constancy to entitle any of the forms to specific rank. The most striking of these varieties appears to be that described by Mr. Bates as _Chrysophanus feredayi_.[55] (See Plate XIII., fig. 2, upper side; Plate XII., fig. 21, under side.) On the upper surface it has the central series of spots almost forming a band in the male, and the coppery ground colour is paler than in the typical form. On the under side the borders of the fore-wings, and the whole of the hind-wings are dull brown. This form closely resembles _C. rauparaha_, Fereday.[56] _C. maui_, Fereday, is evidently that variety of the male having the veins bordered with two fine black lines. Mr. Fereday states that he has never been able to find the female of his _C. maui_. This is readily accounted for by the fact, that the female of _C. maui_ is nothing more than the female of _C. salustius_.

Recently two very remarkable aberrations of _C. salustius_ have come under my {117}notice; one captured by Mr. Hawthorne at Karori, in which the hind-wings are almost entirely suffused with blackish-brown, excepting a small patch of copper colour near the centre, and two patches on the termen. Another specimen, taken by Mr. Grapes near Paraparaumu, has the fore-wings also suffused with blackish-brown, except near the middle, where there are five coppery patches between the veins. On the under side there are six large oblong spots near the termen of the fore-wings, and a series of dusky oblong spots on the hind-wings. (See Plate XIII., fig. 3, fig. 4 under side.) Plate XIII., fig. 5, represents another variety discovered by Mr. Grapes on the coast near Paikakariki, in the Wellington district. It is remarkable for the bright blue terminal spots which are present in both sexes.

The eggs of _C. salustius_, when first deposited, are pale green with yellow reticulations, the whole egg having a honeycombed appearance when magnified. They become uniform pale yellow before hatching. The young larva is shaped somewhat like a wood-louse. The head is quite hidden by the three anterior segments, which are much larger than the rest. After the first moult the larva becomes bright green, with a crimson line down the back; the head is then larger, and the three anterior segments considerably reduced. Unfortunately the life-history could not be investigated beyond this point, as the larvæ all died. The time of year when this occurred was late autumn, and it therefore seems probable that the larvæ hibernate and undergo their transformation early the following spring.

The perfect insect first appears in November and continues abundant until the middle or end of February. Specimens of what I believe to be a second brood may be taken in March and April if the weather be fine, but in stormy seasons these are frequently not observed. I have also noticed that the autumnal specimens are usually smaller and paler in colour than those captured in the spring.

This butterfly frequents open situations, and in fine, sunny weather it is often very common.

CHRYSOPHANUS ENYSII, Butl.

(_Chrysophanus enysii_, Butler, Ent. Mo. Mag. xiii. 153 (1876).)

(Plate XII., fig. 22 [M], 23 [F], 24 under side.)

This species is tolerably common in the Wellington district, and I expect it will be found to occur in most localities in the North Island. I have also taken the insect at Nelson, but have not heard of its capture elsewhere in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings varies from 1 to 1¼ inches. On the upper surface both sexes resemble some of the females of _Chrysophanus salustius_, except that the dark markings are very much broader, and the coppery colour is paler and less lustrous. On the under side the fore-wings are pale yellowish-brown, bordered with darker brown, with three black spots near the middle, and a chain of black spots beyond the middle. _The hind-wings are yellow, with a very large irregular patch of purplish brown extending over the costal and terminal portions._

This insect varies chiefly in the extent of the dark markings on the upper side, which sometimes very much encroach on the golden ground colour. The spaces between veins 2, 3, and 4, near their origin are sometimes yellow and sometimes black, but, as every intermediate form exists, cannot be distinguished as species. Mr. Fereday regards the form with the black spaces as _C. feredayi_, Bates. As previously stated, however, I am inclined to think that _C. feredayi_, Bates, is the same form as _C. rauparaha_, Fereday.

{118}This butterfly is essentially a forest-loving species, and may sometimes be taken quite plentifully in sunny openings on fine days, during December and January. It is not nearly so common as _C. salustius_, and I do not think that there is more than a single brood in a season.

CHRYSOPHANUS BOLDENARUM, White.

(_Lycæna boldenarum_, White, Proc. Ent. Soc., Ser. 3, 1, p. 26 (1862). _Chrysophanus boldenarum_, Butl., Zool. Erebus and Terror, Ins. Lep., p. 29, n. 8, pl. 8, figs. 8, 9 (1874).)

(Plate XII., figs. 13, 14, [M] varieties, 15 under side of [M], 16 [F], 17 under side of [F].)

This brilliant little butterfly is very common in most localities in the South Island. In the North Island it has occurred at Lakes Wairarapa and Taupo.

The expansion of the wings is 7/8 inch. On the upper side the male has all the wings brown, _tinged with the most brilliant glistening purple_. The fore-wings have two or three black spots near the middle, a curved series beyond the middle, and on the termen. The hind-wings have two black spots near the middle, a series beyond the middle, and a terminal series, generally with blue centres. All the wings are narrowly bordered with black. The female is pale yellowish-brown, the spots resemble those of the male, except that all the marginal series have bright purple or blue centres. On the under side the fore-wings of both sexes are pale yellow, bordered with slaty-blue: the spots are the same as on the upper side. The hind-wings are brownish-grey in male, slaty-grey in female, with the basal portion darker, and the spots of the upper side always indicated.

This insect is extremely variable, but I do not think it likely that any of the numerous forms will prove sufficiently constant to be regarded as distinct species. The male varies in the size and number of the black spots, many of which are often absent; in the extent of the purple sheen which is sometimes absent from the hind-wings, sometimes partially absent from the fore-wings, and sometimes extends over the whole of both pairs of wings; also in the colour of such sheen, which often inclines towards blue. Some specimens are much paler than others, and so far as my experience goes, these are chiefly found at considerable elevations; in such specimens, the ground colouring inclines towards yellow or orange, and the purple sheen is very brilliant, and extends over the whole of the wings. The female of this form is proportionately paler. Other specimens have the hind-wings almost black with no purple sheen, whilst in others the purple sheen remains. Another form has the usual markings, but the hind-wings are deep orange-brown, without purple sheen, which is also absent from the outer portions of the fore-wings. One female in my collection is dull brown, with yellow markings between the two rows of black spots. The under side is still more variable. One very striking form has only the basal portions of the fore-wings yellow, the rest of the ground colour is pale bluish-grey, and the spots black. On the hind-wings there are a number of black spots near the base; then an irregular band of black, and then a double row of marginal spots. An almost unlimited number of varieties appears to connect this form with one, in which all the markings on the hind-wings are nearly obsolete. The specimens of this insect taken in each district appear to exhibit differences from those taken elsewhere, but specimens also differ from the same district, so that at present we are unable to detect any well-marked local variation, or topomorphism, as it has been termed. It is consequently highly desirable that collectors should endeavour to obtain specimens from as many localities as possible, so that the nature of the variation of this butterfly may be better understood.

Mr. Fereday states[57] that after carefully examining a patch of _Donatia {119}novæzealandiæ_, a plant he had noticed much frequented by this butterfly, he succeeded in finding a larva which there could be little doubt would have given rise to this insect, had it lived. The following is taken from his description: The caterpillar is shaped like a wood-louse, hairy, and pale green. There is a series of conical purplish spots down the back, edged first with white, and then with dull red. On the sides there is a series of pale pinkish oblique stripes, blended with dull red towards the spiracles.

The perfect insect is very common in dry, stony places, generally near river-beds, during January, February and March. It flies only a short distance when disturbed, but is very quick on the wing, and hence difficult to catch until one becomes accustomed to it. In some places these little butterflies are so abundant that they take wing like a swarm of blow-flies. They seldom open their wings whilst at rest, so that when perched on the ground they are very inconspicuous.

Genus 2.--LYCÆNA, F.

"Eyes hairy. Club of antennæ elongate. Fore-wings with vein 6 separate, 8 and 9 stalked.

"A large genus of nearly universal distribution. Imago usually with a horny apical hook on anterior tibiæ. Larva short, stout, attenuated at extremities, with short hairs. Pupa attached by tail and often a central belt of silk, or unattached or subterranean."--(Meyrick.)

Represented in New Zealand by two species.

LYCÆNA PHOEBE, Murray.

(_Lycæna phoebe_, Murray, Ent. Mo. Mag., 1873, 107.)

(Plate XII., fig. 10, 11 under side.)

This little butterfly is extremely abundant in the neighbourhood of Nelson. I have also taken it in plenty in several localities in the Wellington district, and suspect it is common throughout the North Island. In other parts of the South Island its place appears to be taken by _L. oxleyi_.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1 inch, of the female 7/8 inch. On the upper side all the wings are pale blue, broadly bordered with dull brown. The cilia are white, faintly barred with brownish. _On the under side all the wings, are pale slaty-grey._ There is a faint blackish spot, edged with white, near the middle of the fore-wings, and two rows of similar spots near the termen. The hind-wings have several very faint white-edged spots near the base, a row near the middle, and another row almost entirely white near the termen.

The perfect insect frequents waste grounds and sandhills, generally beside roads and river-beds, and when found is usually very common. It is on the wing from the beginning of October until the end of March.

LYCÆNA OXLEYI, Feld.

(_Lycæna oxleyi_, Felder, Reise de Novara Lep. ii., 280, pl. 35, fig. 6, 1865.)

(Plate XII., fig. 12 under side.)

According to Mr. Enys[58] this butterfly is common in both islands. I have taken specimens in the Canterbury and Nelson districts.

On the upper side this species can only be distinguished from the preceding by its somewhat brighter colour, and by the cilia which are more sharply barred with brown. _On the under side the whole of the fore-wings, and the central portions of the hind-wings between the outer and inner series of spots, are much darker and browner than in L. phoebe_; the spots themselves are also considerably darker, and the central series of the hind-wings is almost black. A careful examination, however, shows that the markings are practically identical in both species, although of different degrees of {120}intensity. In view of the great variability, which many species of this genus are known to exhibit in other countries, I am inclined to think that this butterfly's claim to specific distinction is a very slender one.

The perfect insect may be taken in similar situations to _Lycæna phoebe_.

REPUTED NEW ZEALAND BUTTERFLIES.

The following species are recorded by various observers as having occurred in New Zealand. In nearly every case they are only represented by single specimens. They cannot, in my opinion, be regarded as properly belonging to the fauna:--

1. HAMADRYAS ZOILUS,[59] Fabr.

The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. On the upper side all the wings are black, becoming brown towards the base; the fore-wings have three dull white spots near the apex; the hind-wings have the whole of the central portions white.

Stated by Dieffenbach to occur in New Zealand, probably in error, as it has not since been observed. An Australian species. Mr. W. W. Smith, however, informs me, that his eldest son recently saw near Ashburton a specimen of what he believed to be this butterfly; but as he was unable to capture it he cannot speak with any degree of certainty.

2. EUPLOÆ ---- sp?

The expansion of the wings is 2¾ inches. On the upper side all the wings are dull, brownish-black, with a series of large white terminal spots.

Two or three specimens of this insect are stated by Mr. T. W. Kirk to have been taken near Flat Point on the east coast of the North Island, but no further details are forthcoming. The late Mr. Olliff, to whom I forwarded a sketch of the insect, informed me that it was not represented in the Sydney collections of Australian and South Sea Island butterflies, but he thought it might be a Malayan species of _Euploæ_.

3. VANESSA ATALANTA,[60] L.

The expansion of the wings is from 2½ to 2¾ inches. "The fore-wings are black, with a broad deep red central band, and with one large and five small white spots near the apex. The hind-wings are black, with a broad deep red band at the termen, in which are four black spots; at the tornus is a large blue-and-black spot."[61]

Mr. T. W. Kirk states[62] that he captured a specimen of this familiar English butterfly in the Wellington Botanical Gardens, in the summer of 1881. On a subsequent occasion he saw several others. No specimens have since been detected.

4. VANESSA URTICÆ, L.

The expansion of the wings is from 2 to 2¼ inches. "The fore-wings are reddish-orange with three large black spots on the costa (the third followed by a white spot), two smaller black spots near the centre, and one large one on the dorsum; a dark border, containing cresentic blue spots, runs along the termen. The hind-wings are black at the base, then reddish-orange, with a blue-spotted dark border along the termen."[63]

Mr. Kirk states[64] that he also obtained specimens of this very common English butterfly during the same season and in the same locality as _Vanessa atalanta_. None have been seen by other observers.

{121}5. CATOPSILIA CATILLA,[65] Cramer.

The expansion of the wings is nearly 3 inches. On the upper side all the wings of the male are pale sulphur-yellow, with a minute brown mark at the apex. The female is paler, with a brown spot in the centre of the fore-wings, and a chain of brown spots on the termen towards the apex.

A single male specimen of this butterfly was captured in the grounds of St. John's College, Auckland, and is now in the Auckland Museum. The species is very common in Australia, and as this is the only specimen observed it was no doubt accidentally introduced from that country on board a steamer.

{122}V.--THE PYRALIDINA.

Not dealt with in this volume.

VI.--THE PSYCHINA.

The _Psychina_ are distinguished by the following characters:--

"Eyes glabrous. Maxillary palpi rudimentary or obsolete (yet sometimes well marked in pupa). Posterior tibiæ, with spurs very short, middle spurs often absent. Fore-wings with vein 1_b_ furcate, 1_c_ usually developed, 5 more or less approximated to 4. Hind-wings with frenulum, retinaculum often very broad, 1_c_ present, 8 connected or anastomosing with cell." (See Plate I., figs. 30, 31 neuration of _Oeceticus omnivorus_.)

"This ancient group, which furnishes the origin of the five preceding, is not now very prominent, though much more numerous in warm regions.

"Imago with fore-wings more or less elongate-triangular, hind-wings ovate, often rather small.

"Larva with 10 prolegs, usually with few hairs.

"Pupa with segments 8-11 free, usually 7 also (except in _Psychidæ_), in male 12 also; protruded from cocoon in emergence."--(Meyrick.)

The _Psychina_ and _Micropterygina_ are included amongst the _Micros_ by most modern authors. I have, however, described and figured certain conspicuous and interesting species belonging to both these groups. The insects in question have, until so very recently, been regarded as _Macros_, that I think it would be a mistake to omit them in the present volume. There can, however, be no question that the modern view is the correct one, and that notwithstanding the large size of some of the species, they are really closely allied to those _Micro-Lepidoptera_, with which they are now associated.

Of the _Psychina_ we have one family represented in New Zealand--the _Psychidæ_.

Family 1.--PSYCHIDÆ.

"Head densely rough-haired. Ocelli large. Tongue obsolete. Antennæ half the length of the fore-wings or less, in male strongly bi-pectinated to apex. Labial palpi very short, hairy. Thorax densely hairy above and beneath. Abdomen, femora, and tibiæ densely hairy, posterior tibiæ without middle spurs, end spurs extremely short. Fore-wings with vein 1_a_ anastomosing with 1_b_ before middle; 1_c_ (if present) coincident with 1_b_ beyond middle, 7 absent. Hind-wings, with vein 8, connected by bar with upper margin of cell. Female apterous, without legs or developed antennæ.

{123}"A rather small family of universal distribution, but commoner in warm countries. Male imago with thinly scaled wings, without markings; flight strong and swift, sometimes in sunshine. The female is almost wholly helpless; the abdomen is at first greatly distended with eggs, and ultimately shrivels up.

"Ovum oval, smooth. Larva inhabiting a strong portable silken case, covered with fragments of stick or refuse. Pupa within the larval case."--(Meyrick.)

There are two genera in New Zealand closely allied to each other.

1. OECETICUS. 2. OROPHORA.

Genus 1.--OECETICUS, Guild.

"Ocelli present. Antennæ 1/3, in male strongly bi-pectinated, much more shortly on apical half. Labial palpi extremely short, rough-haired. Abdomen in male very elongate, roughly hairy. Legs hairy, tibiæ without spurs, posterior tarsi extremely short and stout. Fore-wings with veins 4 and 5 short-stalked, 7 sometimes out of 9, 8 and 9 stalked, forked parting-vein well defined. Hind-wings with veins 4 and 5 stalked, forked parting-vein well defined, 8 connected by bar with cell beyond middle. An additional vein (9) rising from 8 beyond bar, another (10) from 8 before bar, and another (11) from base of costa running into 8 before 10." (See Plate I., figs. 30, 31.)

"This generic name was wrongly spelt _Oiketicus_ by its originator and others, for which there is no possible justification. I have corrected it."--(Meyrick.)

Although I have made several examinations of fully denuded wings of _OE. omnivorus_, I have been unable to discover any trace of the additional veins mentioned by Mr. Meyrick. The hair-like scales which clothe the wings of this insect are very long and slender, and might easily be mistaken for a short vein, if placed in the requisite position. I am disposed to think that the examination of undenuded specimens has led to the discrepancy between the results.

We have one species.

OECETICUS OMNIVORUS, Fereday.

(_Liothula omnivora_, Fereday, Trans. N. Z. Inst. x., 260, pl. ix. _Oeceticus omnivorus_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 212.)

(Plate XIII., fig. 6 [M]; Plate III., fig. 26, larva in its case; fig. 25 ditto withdrawn from case.)

This interesting species is seldom seen as an imago in the natural state, although the cases constructed by its larva are of common occurrence. Specimens of these cases have been noticed at several localities between Palmerston, in the North Island, and Invercargill, in the South Island, so that apparently the insect is common, and generally distributed throughout New Zealand.

The expansion of the wings of the male is from 1¼ to 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are very elongate and narrow. All the wings are blackish-brown, and sparsely covered with scales_, the hind pair being semi-transparent. The body is very hairy, and deep black. The antennæ are broadly bi-pectinate at the base, becoming almost filiform towards the apex. The female insect is apterous, having a close superficial resemblance to a large maggot. The head and thorax are very small, and the legs and antennæ rudimentary. The extremity of the body is furnished with a two-jointed ovipositor, and there are a few scattered yellowish scales on various parts of the insect. Its length is about 1 inch.

The eggs of this species are deposited inside the old case, which the female insect never leaves during the whole of her life. The young larva when first hatched is about 1/8 inch in length. Its head and three anterior segments are corneous and much larger than the others, which are rather soft with the exception of the last one. These little {124}larvæ are extremely active, and immediately after hatching leave the old case, and roam in all directions over the tree, letting themselves down from branch to branch by silken threads. They carry the posterior portion of their body elevated in the air, walking whilst doing so by means of their strong thoracic legs.

The food-plants of this species are numerous. The following are a few of them: Manuka (_Leptospermum scoparium_ and _ericoides_, _Cupressus macrocarpa_, _Pinus insignis_), and various species of willow, &c. These, it will be observed, include several introduced trees. In fact, the insect is a very general feeder. About three days after leaving the egg, the little caterpillar constructs a minute, conical-shaped, silken case, which it carries almost in an upright position on its posterior segments. Later on in life this case becomes too heavy to be held vertically, and is afterwards dragged along by the larva, and often allowed to hang downwards. The case has two apertures--a large one in front, through which the head of the larva is projected, and a smaller one at the posterior extremity, which allows the pellets of excrement to fall out of the case, as soon as they are evacuated.