Part 19

The expansion of the wings is about 1-3/8 inches. The fore-wings are uniform dark grey; the veins are marked with a series of white dots, preceded and followed by black marks; the orbicular, reniform, and claviform spots are scarcely visible; an indistinct wavy line runs parallel with the termen. The hind-wings are grey; the cilia are white with a cloudy line. The head, thorax, and abdomen are grey.

Sometimes the grey colouring is very much darker, and a faint wavy line is present between the orbicular spot and the base of the wing. In other respects the species does not vary.

The larva is rather attenuated and black in colour; the dorsal line is narrow and bright yellow; the subdorsal is broader and white; and the lateral line is pale brown. The head, legs, prolegs, and under surface are pale brown, speckled with black; the spiracles are pink; a conspicuous white spot is situated above the spiracles.

This caterpillar feeds on the Tauhinu (Pomaderris ericifolia) in December and January. It is very active in its habits, and immediately drops to the ground when disturbed. It is much infested by a dipterous parasite. The pupa state is spent in the earth and lasts about six weeks.

The moth appears in February, March, and April. It is attracted by light, and in consequence often enters houses.

{22}MELANCHRA OMICRON, n. sp.

(Plate V., fig. 42.)

This species was discovered at Wellington by Mr. A. Norris.

The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings are pale olive-green, mottled and striped with dull grey; there is a double transverse line near the base, another at about one-fourth, and another at about one-half, passing between the orbicular and the reniform; beyond this there are two indistinct shaded lines, and a terminal series of black marks; the orbicular is large, almost circular, and sharply outlined in black; the claviform is small and indistinct, and the reniform ill-defined, obscurely outlined in black towards the base. The hind-wings are brownish-grey, darker towards the termen.

The perfect insect appears in November.

MELANCHRA COMPOSITA, Gn.

(Cloantha composita, Gn., Noct. vi. 114. Auchmis composita, Walk., Noct. 616; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix. 12. Mamestra maori, Feld., Reis. Nov., pl. cix. 24. Leucania dentigera, Butl. Mamestra composita, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 22.)

(Plate V., fig. 8 , 9 ; Plate III., fig. 7, larva.)

One of the most abundant of our night-flying moths, occurring in great profusion throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is about 1½ inches. The fore-wings are pale reddish-brown, darker towards the middle. There are two elongate, pointed, white markings touching the termen below the middle, and a central white streak, interrupted in the middle, by a small semicircular white mark, which represents the lower portion of the reniform spot; the orbicular and claviform spots are obsolete. The hind-wings are dark grey. The head and thorax are reddish-brown, and the abdomen is dark grey. The antennæ are serrate in the male but simple in the female. In some specimens the white markings are more extensive than usual, but otherwise there are no important variations.

The larva is bright reddish-brown; the dorsal stripe is broad and black; the subdorsal narrower, edged with white; the lateral lines are dull red, white, and black; the ventral surface, head, legs, and prolegs are greenish-grey with black markings; the spiracles are black.

This caterpillar varies considerably in the intensity of the light and dark markings. It feeds on grasses in January and September, and is very active. It often occurs in prodigious numbers, and at such times may frequently be seen travelling at a great rate over bare ground in search of food. Amongst the grass it is hard to detect, as the striped colouring is very protective in that situation.

The pupa state is spent in the earth, or under moss on fallen trees.

The moth appears from September till April. It is double-brooded. A few of the second brood emerge in the autumn and hibernate as moths, but the majority pass the winter in the pupa state. Hence we sometimes meet with specimens on mild evenings in the middle of winter.

This insect is much attracted by light, and occasionally assembles in vast numbers round a brilliant lamp. I have had as many as one hundred specimens in my verandah at Karori, attracted during two or three hours. It is by far the commonest insect at the collectors' sugar, the numerous visitors of this species eagerly jostling each other in their haste to obtain a share of the sweets. M. composita is likewise observed in the utmost profusion on attractive flowers of all kinds, crowding out the rarer and more aristocratic species. Mr. Hanify has drawn my attention to the remarkable habit this insect has of suddenly stopping {23}during its flight, and thus eluding pursuit. It also takes wing with unusual rapidity. Specimens of this moth may constantly be observed at rest in various situations during the daytime, when the protective character of the colouring will be at once apparent, especially when the insect is partially concealed amongst grass. Mr. Meyrick informs us that this species is common in Tasmania and South-Eastern Australia.

MELANCHRA STEROPASTIS, Meyr.

(Mamestra steropastis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 22.)

(Plate V., fig. 10 , 11 .)

This insect has occurred in the North Island at Napier. In the South Island it has been taken at Blenheim and Christchurch, but does not seem to be a common species anywhere.

The expansion of the wings is from 1¼ to 1½ inches. In general appearance it somewhat resembles the preceding species, from which it may chiefly be distinguished by the absence of the sharp white central line and conspicuous tooth-like markings near the termen. There is also a minute white dot situated at the junction of veins 3 and 4 of the fore-wings. The hind-wings are dark grey.

The perfect insect appears from November till February.

Described and figured from Mr. Fereday's specimens.

MELANCHRA INFENSA, Walk.