Part 13

The perfect insect appears in November and December. It is rather a scarce species.

{13}LEUCANIA SULCANA, Fereday.

(Leucania sulcana, Frdy., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xii. 267, pl. ix.; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 11.)

(Plate IV., fig. 19 , 20 .)

This species has occurred at Akaroa and at Dunedin.

The expansion of the wings is from 1½ to 1¾ inches. The fore-wings are light ochreous with the veins white; there is a shaded, brownish, longitudinal streak near the apex, another from the end of the cell to the termen, a stronger streak from the base of the wing to near the tornus, and another along the dorsum; there is a minute black dot near the base above the middle, a slightly larger dot at about one-third, a conspicuous dot between the origins of veins 3 and 4, and a very minute dot on vein 6. Hind-wings dark blackish-grey, cilia paler.

The perfect insect appears in February, and has been taken at sugar.

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

LEUCANIA SEMIVITTATA, Walk.

(Leucania semivittata, Walk., Suppl. 628; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 12.)

(Plate IV., fig. 21 , 22 .)

This species has occurred commonly at Christchurch, Mount Torlesse, and Dunedin.

The expansion of the wings is from 1-1/8 to 1-3/8 inches. The fore-wings are pale ochreous; there is a very obscure, shaded, brownish, longitudinal streak below the middle, a conspicuous black dot at the base, a second at about one-sixth, a third at one-third, a fourth between the origins of veins 3 and 4, a curved series of minute terminal dots. Hind-wings much paler with a darker blotch near the middle. In the female the wings are browner with the dots much smaller or absent.

The moth appears in April and May, being found at night on the blossoms of the scabious.

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

LEUCANIA BLENHEIMENSIS, Frdy.

(Leucania blenheimensis, Frdy., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xv. 196; Meyr., ib. xix. 12.)

(Plate IV., fig. 23 .)

This rather striking insect has occurred at Napier and at Blenheim.

The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings are cream-coloured with the veins darker; there are three faint black dots at about one-third, a curved series of black dots near the termen, the termen itself being strongly shaded with dark greyish-brown; the cilia are dark greyish-brown. The hind-wings are grey, paler towards the base; the cilia are also grey.

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

LEUCANIA UNIPUNCTA, Haw.

(Leucania unipuncta, Haw., Lepidoptera Britannica, p. 174, No. 37. Leucania extranea, Gn., Noct. v. 77; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix. 2; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 12.)

(Plate IV., fig. 24.)

This species has occurred at Napier and at Wellington in the North Island. In the South Island it has been found at Nelson and at Christchurch.

The expansion of the wings is 1¾ inches. The fore-wings vary from dull ochreous to bright reddish-ochreous; there are numerous indistinct blackish dots; the orbicular and reniform are almost round and slightly paler than the rest of the wing; there is a minute white dot immediately below the reniform and an obscure, oblique blackish line from the apex of the wing ending in a series of minute black dots; the termen is not indented. The hind-wings are grey, darker near the termen; the cilia are white.

Varies considerably in the ground colour and in the extent of the black speckling.

"The larva is extremely variable. Its usual colour is pale brown with a white dorsal line and several dark lines on each side.