Part 3

When full-fed it selects a secluded spot, generally a crevice in the trunk of a tree, where it spins an oval cocoon of silk intermixed with its own hairs. Here it changes {3}into a shining black pupa, speckled and striped with yellow. The insect remains in this state about six weeks.

The moth first appears in September, and continues abundant until about the end of March. It is extremely common, especially during the latter end of summer, when specimens may often be seen flying in all directions. Mr. Meyrick observes[5] that this species has the curious habit of soaring in the early morning sunshine, soon after sunrise, in calm, fine weather. He states that he has seen them in numbers, flying round the tops of trees, at a height of over 100 feet. I can fully corroborate the accuracy of this interesting observation, and have noticed the insect to be most active between the hours of five and eight on fine mornings in midsummer. The habit is certainly a very unusual one, as most insects are rarely seen at that time of the day.

This moth is confined to New Zealand, but two closely allied species, belonging to the same genus, are found in Australia.

Genus 2.--UTETHEISA, Hb.

"Head smooth. Ocelli large. Antennæ in [M] ciliated, with longer setæ at joints. Palpi moderate, ascending, with loosely appressed scales. Thorax smooth beneath. Abdomen smooth-scaled. Tibiæ smooth-scaled, spurs very short. Fore-wings with veins 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 connected with 9. Hind-legs with veins 3, 4, 5 rather approximated, 6 or 7 connate or short-stalked, 8 from middle of cell."

"A small genus inhabiting the warmer regions of the world. Larva with rather scanty hairs, some finely branched."--(Meyrick.)

Represented in New Zealand by a single species of wide distribution.

UTETHEISA PULCHELLA, L.

(_Deiopeia pulchella_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 217.)

(Plate IV., fig. 3.)

This species was first observed in New Zealand in February, 1887, when I captured a single specimen in the Wainui-o-mata valley. Since that time Mr. A. Norris has seen two others near Petone, one of which is now in his collection. All the specimens at present noticed have consequently occurred in a very restricted portion of the Wellington District, though it is probable that the insect is far more generally distributed throughout the country than these records would seem to indicate.

The expansion of the wings is about 1¼ inches. _The fore-wings are white, with five irregular transverse rows of oblong crimson spots, alternating with six irregular rows of small black dots._ The hind-wings are white, irregularly clouded with black on the termen; there are two small black spots near the middle. The body is white; the head and thorax are spotted with crimson, and the antennæ are black.

The larva is thus described by Newman:--[6]

"The ground colour is leaden with a covering of black hairs; there is a broad white stripe down the back, and on each segment down the side is a double scarlet spot. On the continent of Europe this caterpillar is said to feed on the forget-me-not (_Myosotis arvensis_)."

In New Zealand the moth appears in February. Mr. Meyrick remarks[7]:--"It is probably only an occasional immigrant. Although a feeble-looking insect, it possesses extraordinary capabilities of flight, and is sometimes met with far out at sea. It occurs throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands." It is well known to {4}English entomologists as a great rarity, and many discussions have taken place at various times as to the propriety of retaining it on the list of British Lepidoptera.

Genus 3.--METACRIAS, Meyr.

"Tongue obsolete. Antennæ in [M] moderately bipectinated throughout. Palpi rather short, hairy, concealed in rough hairs of head. Thorax and femora densely hairy beneath. Anterior tibiæ with developed spine beneath, and apical hook. Fore-wings with vein 2 from 2/3, 6 from point with or out of 9, 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 sometimes connected with 9 at a point above 7. Hind-wings with veins 3 and 4 almost from point, 6 and 7 from point or short-stalked, 8 from about 1/3. Wings in [F] rudimentary. (Plate II., fig. 1 neuration of fore-wing, fig. 2 ditto of hind-wing.)

"An interesting and peculiar genus, apparently most allied to some Australian forms of _Spilosoma_, but quite distinct. Three species have been discovered, two of them quite recently, and it is not unreasonable to hope that additional forms may hereafter be found amongst the mountains, to which they seem especially attached."--(Meyrick).

METACRIAS STRATEGICA, Hdsn.

(_Arctia strategica_, Hdsn., Entom., 1889, 53. _Metacrias strategica_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)

(Plate IV., fig. 4.)

This handsome species is at present only known by a single specimen, captured by Mr. W. W. Smith, near the summit of the Richardson Range, in South Canterbury, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are black, with two broad, dull yellow, longitudinal streaks_; between the costa and the first streak is a very fine yellowish line, and between the two streaks there are three similar lines. _The hind-wings are bright yellow, with a broad black band, parallel to the termen, interrupted just before the tornus; the vicinity of this black band is tinged with crimson._ The body is black; the top of the head, collar, and sides of the thorax and abdomen are dull yellow. The female is probably apterous.

This species may be readily distinguished from the two following by the yellow collar, absence of any large spot in the centre of both fore-wings and hind-wings, and the red colouring of the termen of the hind-wings. The moth was taken in February, frequenting a species of _Carmichælia_. It may be looked for in the mountainous regions of South Canterbury, but at present nothing further is known of its habits.

METACRIAS ERICHRYSA, Meyr.

(_Metacrias erichrysa_, Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1886, 749; ditto, Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)

(Plate IV., fig. 5.)

This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick on Mount Arthur in the Nelson District in 1886. Since that time I have taken eleven specimens in the same locality, and have seen several others, but as yet I have not heard of its occurrence elsewhere.

The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. _The fore-wings are black, with orange-yellow markings._ These consist of a fine line near the costa, becoming very broad near the base, several elongate markings between the veins near the middle, a series of spots near the termen, and a broad streak parallel to the dorsum. The hind-wings are orange-yellow, with a curved black spot in the middle, and a broad black band on the termen, ending considerably before the tornus, and nearly broken a little before its termination. The female, according to Mr. Meyrick,[8] is "wholly whitish-ochreous; wings minute, aborted; legs short, stout, well developed."

The life-history is thus described by Mr. Meyrick[9]: "The larva is wholly black, clothed with long black hairs, those covering segmental incisions brownish-ochreous. It feeds on _Senecio bellidioides_. The pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon."

{5}The perfect insect occurs in January, frequenting sunny, grassy slopes on the mountain-sides, at about 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It flies with great rapidity; hence it is generally very difficult to catch.

METACRIAS HUTTONII, Butl.

(_Phaos huttonii_, Butl., Cist. Ent. 487; _Metacrias huttonii_, Meyr., Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 1886, 750; Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 216.)

(Plate IV., fig. 6.)

This interesting species was discovered at Lake Wakatipu, by Professor Hutton.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1-1/8 inches. The fore-wings are black; _there is an oblique crimson line near the base_, two broad longitudinal cream-coloured lines above and below the middle, and a double transverse series of oblong cream-coloured spots near the termen. The hind-wings are pale ochreous, with a black crescent-shaped spot near the middle, and a broad black band almost touching the termen except a little before the tornus. The female is apterous.

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

Family 2.--CARADRINIDÆ.

The _Caradrinidæ_ are distinguished by the following characters:--

"Ocelli usually present. Tongue usually well developed. Labial palpi moderate, more or less ascending, second joint densely scaled, usually rough, terminal rather short, obtuse. Thorax usually densely hairy beneath. Posterior tibiæ with all spurs present. Fore-wings with veins 7 and 8 out of 9, 10 connected with 9. Hind-wings with veins 3 and 4 connate or short-stalked, 5 obsolete or imperfect, parallel to 4, 6 and 7 connate or short-stalked or seldom closely approximated only, 8 shortly anastomosing with cell near base, thence evenly diverging." (Plate II., figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.)

"A dominant family in temperate regions, especially in the northern hemisphere, the species being very numerous and often occurring in great plenty; within the tropics, however, their place is largely taken by the _Plusiadæ_. The structure is in most particulars remarkably uniform, the neuration and palpi being practically identical throughout the family. The markings are usually very similar, and the colouring dull and adapted to conceal insects which are accustomed to hide amongst dead leaves or refuse; hence this family is not one of the easiest or most attractive to study. The species are the most truly nocturnal of all the Lepidoptera; few are readily obtainable by day, but at night they are found in abundance at flowers or sugar. Imago with fore-wings usually elongate, body relatively stout, and densely scaled. It may be noted as an established conclusion that antennal pectinations, if not extending to the apex of the antennæ, are in this family seldom sufficient to mark generic distinction.

"Ovum spherical, more or less distinctly ribbed, and reticulated. Larva usually with few hairs, often nocturnal, sometimes subterranean; often very polyphagous. Pupa usually subterranean."--(Meyrick.)

The family is represented in New Zealand by the following twelve genera:--

{ 1. MISELIA. Sub-family 1.--POLIADES { 2. ORTHOSIA. { 3. XANTHIA.

{ 4. PHYSETICA. { 5. LEUCANIA. Sub-family 2.--MELANCHRIDES { 6. ICHNEUTICA. { 7. MELANCHRA. { 8. ERANA.

{ 9. BITYLA. {6} Sub-family 3.--CARADRINIDES { 10. AGROTIS. { 11. HELIOTHIS. { 12. COSMODES.

Sub-family 1.--_POLIADES_.

"Eyes naked, ciliated (_i.e._, furnished with a marginal row of long cilia curving over them)."--(Meyrick.)

Genus 1.--MISELIA, Steph.

"Antennæ in male filiform, moderately ciliated. Thorax with anterior angles projecting, somewhat crested. Abdomen not crested."--(Meyrick.)

We have at present but one New Zealand species.

MISELIA PESSOTA, Meyr.

(_Miselia pessota_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 29.)

(Plate V., fig. 26.)

This little species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Lake Coleridge and Rakaia in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull purplish-brown; _there is an oblong black mark at the base of the dorsum containing a slender curved white line_; the orbicular is rather small, round, margined first with dull white and then with black; the reniform is large, oblong, dull white, margined with pale ochreous towards the base of the wing; _there is a conspicuous oblong black mark between the orbicular and reniform stigmata_. The hind-wings are dull grey, with the cilia paler.

The perfect insect appears in January. One specimen was taken at sugar in the Wellington Botanical Gardens, and two specimens are recorded from Canterbury. It is evidently a scarce species.

Genus 2.--ORTHOSIA, Ochs.

"Head rough-scaled; eyes naked, ciliated. Antennæ in male ciliated. Thorax with or without anterior crest. Abdomen not crested.

"A considerable genus of nearly universal distribution, though mainly found in temperate regions of both hemispheres. The imagos are almost all autumnal, and their yellow and ferruginous colouring is doubtless adapted to the autumn tints of falling leaves."--(Meyrick.)

Represented in New Zealand by three species.

ORTHOSIA MARGARITA, Hawth.

(_Orthosia margarita_, Hawth., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxix. 283.)

(Plate V., fig. 31.)

This species was discovered at Wellington by Mr. E. F. Hawthorne.

The expansion of the wings is about 1-1/3 inches. The fore-wings are dark brownish-black and rather glossy; there are several obscure dark marks near the base; the orbicular is oval, oblique, brownish-yellow, slightly darker in the middle; the claviform is almost obsolete; the reniform is rather large, bordered with dull white towards the base and termen; beyond the reniform there is a very distinct wavy transverse line; another line is situated near the termen emitting several black wedge-shaped markings from its inner edge. _The hind-wings are shining white and iridescent, with the veins black and the costa and termen narrowly shaded with black._

Described and figured from specimens in Mr. Hawthorne's collection.

{7}ORTHOSIA COMMA, Walk.

(_Mamestra comma_, Walk., Noct. 239; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix., 6. _Graphiphora implexa_, Walk., Noct. 405. _Hadena plusiata_, ib., Suppl. 742; _Nitocris bicomma_, Gn., Ent. Mon. Mag. v., 4. _Orthosia comma_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 30.)

(Plate V., fig. 27 [M], 28 [F]; Plate III., fig. 11, larva.)

This is apparently a common and generally distributed species. It has occurred plentifully at Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch, and Rakaia.

The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings are dark grey crossed by four wavy, black-margined, transverse lines; beyond the outermost of these lines there is a black band running parallel with the termen, and beyond this again a broader band of the ground colour; the orbicular spot is very minute and dull white; the reniform, which is surrounded by a black shading, is large, yellow towards the costa, and white towards the termen. The hind-wings are dark grey. The females are generally much darker than the males, some specimens having the fore-wings very dark brownish-black.

Both sexes vary a good deal in the depth of colouring, but the markings appear to be quite constant.

The larva is dark brown, tinged with pink; the subdorsal region is paler, there are a series of diagonal blackish stripes on each segment, and the anterior portions of the larva are much darker than the rest of the body.

The specimens I reared were fed on lettuce, but I expect that the caterpillar feeds on low plants generally. It is full grown about January. The pupa state is spent in the earth.

The moth appears in January, February, and March. It is very common at the flowers of the white rata, and may also be attracted by sugar and by light.

ORTHOSIA IMMUNIS, Walk.

(_Tæniocampa immunis_, Walk., Noct. 430. _Cerastis innocua_, ib. 1710 (locality probably erroneous). _Agrotis acetina_, Feld., Reis. Nov. pl. cix. 6. _Orthosia immunis_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 30.)

(Plate V., fig. 29.)

This species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Blenheim in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is 1-3/8 inches. _The fore-wings vary from bright orange-brown to dull reddish-brown_; there is an obscure black dot near the base, a faint transverse line at about one-fourth; the orbicular is oval, faintly outlined in brown; the claviform is very faint, its position indicated by a small brown dot; the reniform is large, oblong, much indented towards the termen, doubly outlined with dull yellow and containing a blackish spot towards its lower edge, its posterior margin is shaded with dark brown; there are several faint, wavy, transverse lines near the termen, and the termen itself is shaded with brownish-black; the cilia are reddish-brown. The hind-wings are dull grey; the cilia are pale reddish-ochreous tipped with white. _The head is covered with scattered white scales_, the thorax is reddish-brown, and the abdomen is grey tipped with reddish-brown; _the upper joints of the tarsi of the anterior legs are white_.

The perfect insect appears in January, February, and March. It frequents the blossoms of the white rata, where it occasionally may be taken in the daytime, but more frequently at night. It is not, however, a common species.

Genus 3.--XANTHIA, Tr.

"Antennæ in male filiform, moderately ciliated. Thorax with sharp compressed anterior and small posterior crest. Abdomen not crested."--(Meyrick.)

Only one New Zealand species is known at present.

{8}XANTHIA PURPUREA, Butl.

(_Graphiphora purpurea_, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. _Xanthia ceramodes_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 31. _X. purpurea_, ib. xx. 46.)

(Plate V., fig. 32.)

This handsome species has been found at Wellington in the North Island, and at Dunedin in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. The fore-wings are rich, glossy reddish-brown with several scattered whitish scales; there is a distinct yellow mark on the costa at about one-fourth, forming the beginning of a broken transverse line; the orbicular is small, round, and yellowish; the reniform is small, crescentic and yellowish, _the space between the orbicular and the reniform is very dark blackish-brown_; beyond the reniform there is a conspicuous white mark on the costa forming the beginning of a second broken transverse line; a third shaded line is situated near the termen. The hind-wings are pale brown with a dark spot in the middle, very conspicuous on the under surface.

The perfect insect appears from September till April. It is usually taken at sugar or light, but is not a very common species.

Sub-family 2.--_MELANCHRIDES_.

Eyes hairy.

Genus 4.--PHYSETICA, Meyr.

"Palpi with terminal joint in male greatly swollen, as broad as second, rather short, rounded, with an orifice in outer side, in female normal. Antennæ in male filiform, simple. Thorax and abdomen smooth."--(Meyrick.) (Plate II., fig. 8.)

PHYSETICA CÆRULEA, Gn.

(_Agrotis cærulea_, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 38. _Physetica cærulea_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 5.)

(Plate IV., fig. 7.)

This fine species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Blenheim and Rakaia in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is 1-5/8 inches. _The fore-wings are slaty-blue_; there is an obscure, wavy, whitish transverse line near the base, two very wavy blackish lines at about one-third, a dark transverse shaded line across the middle, containing the orbicular spot, then a very wavy line followed by a darker space and a wavy, dull, whitish terminal line. Hind-wings dark grey, paler near the base, cilia shining white.

The perfect insect appears in October, December, and January. Mr. Fereday states that it was formerly very common at blossoms.

Genus 5.--LEUCANIA, Ochs.

"Head rough-scaled; eyes hairy. Antennæ in male ciliated. Thorax with or without slight anterior crest. Abdomen not crested.

"A very large cosmopolitan genus, equally common everywhere; it is a development of _Melanchra_, to which some of the New Zealand species give such a complete transition that a line of demarcation can hardly be drawn. The larvæ all feed on _Gramineæ_."--(Meyrick.)

We have seventeen species.

{9}LEUCANIA GRISEIPENNIS, Feld.

(_Mamestra griseipennis_, Feld., pl. cix. 22. _Chera virescens_, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 489. _Spælotis inconstans_, ib. 545; _Leucania moderata_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 7 (nec Walk.). _Leucania griseipennis_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 44.)

(Plate IV., fig. 8.)

This species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island. In the South Island it has been taken at Mount Arthur, Lake Coleridge, Rakaia, Akaroa, and Lake Guyon.

The expansion of the wings is 1½ inches. The fore-wings are dull greenish-grey; there are two obscure blackish transverse lines near the base and several dull white dots; _a very conspicuous transverse curved black shade near the middle, followed by an extremely jagged dull white transverse line, another less jagged transverse line near the termen; the orbicular is oval, pale, edged with black_; the reniform and claviform are also pale but inconspicuous; the cilia are tinged with brown. The hind-wings are grey _with the cilia wholly white_.

The following variety, taken on Mount Arthur, is thus described by Mr. Meyrick:--

"_Var. A._ Thorax and fore-wings without ochreous tinge, with numerous white scales tending to form suffused spots and margins to lines; cilia distinctly barred with darker; hind-wings grey, with dark grey, irregular terminal band."[10]

The perfect insect appears from November till March, and is said to be very common in certain localities. It has been taken at considerable elevations in the Nelson province (4,700 feet above the sea-level on Mount Arthur, by Mr. Meyrick and myself). In Wellington it is certainly a scarce species.

LEUCANIA MODERATA, Walk.

(_Agrotis moderata_, Walk., Suppl. 705. _Eumichtis sistens_, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 39. _Mamestra sistens_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 19. _Leucania moderata_, ib. xx. 45.)

This species has occurred at Rakaia in the South Island. It very closely resembles the preceding species, from which it is said to be distinguished by the cilia of the hind-wings, which are "partially grey in _Leucania moderata_, wholly white in _L. griseipennis_."--(Meyrick.)

The perfect insect appears in February. I am unacquainted with this species.

LEUCANIA TEMPERATA, Walk.

(_Bryophila temperata_, Walk., 1648 (nec Meyrick). _Xylina inceptura_, ib. 1736. _X. deceptura_, ib. 1737. _Leucania temperata_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 45.)

"Terminal joint of palpi moderate; form of wing as in _Leucania griseipennis_, first and second lines whitish, inconspicuous, margined with black dots, second line evenly curved, subterminal perceptible; cilia grey, indistinctly barred with white. Hind-wings grey."--(Meyrick.)

Described by Mr. Meyrick from the British Museum specimens.

I am unacquainted with this species.

LEUCANIA NULLIFERA, Walk.

(_Agrotis nullifera_, Walk., Noct. 742; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix. 5. _Alysia specifica_, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 3. _Leucania nullifera_, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 7.)

(Plate IV., fig. 9; head, Plate II., fig. 11.)

This large though sombre-looking insect has occurred in the North Island at Taupo and Wellington. In the South Island it has been taken commonly at Mount Arthur, Christchurch, and Rakaia.

The expansion of the wings is from 2½ to 2¾ inches. _The fore-wings are uniform dull grey_, with a double row of very faint white spots parallel to the termen; _the hind-wings, head, thorax, and abdomen are pale grey_.

{10}In some specimens the fore-wings are quite destitute of markings, whilst in others the ground colouring varies considerably, and is occasionally dull brown instead of grey.

The larva is very stout, bright yellowish-brown, considerably paler on the under surface; the dorsal line is faintly indicated, the subdorsal and lateral lines are dull brown, with a chain of elongate white spots beneath each; the spiracles and dorsal surface of the posterior segments are black; there are also numerous white dots all over the larva.