Part 38

"Face smooth, flat. Antennæ in shortly ciliated. Palpi short, slender, loosely scaled. Fore-wings with areole double. Hind-wings with vein 8 anastomosing with cell to beyond middle.

(Plate II., figs. 30 and 31.)

"A genus of a few widely scattered species most numerous in the Australian Region."--(Meyrick.)

We have two species.

ASTHENA PULCHRARIA, Dbld.

(Acidalia pulchraria, Dbld., Dieff. N. Z. ii. 286. Chlorochroma plurilineata, Walk. 563, 676. Asthena ondinata, Gn. ix. 438, pl. xix. 4; Butl., Cat. pl. iii. 20. Cidaria ondinata, Feld. cxxviii. 17. Asthena pulchraria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 69.)

(Plate VI., fig. 37 , 38 .)

This beautiful little insect has occurred at many localities throughout both the North and South Islands. It is probably a common species in most wooded districts.

The expansion of the wings is almost an inch. All the wings are very pale greenish-white with numerous faint green, wavy, transverse lines. The fore-wings have a more or less distinct brown band on the costal edge, and a conspicuous greenish central dot. The hind-wings often have a slight projection on the termen near the middle.

The perfect insect appears from October till May, and frequents dense forest undergrowth. It is chiefly attached to the Kawakawa (Piper excelsum), and may often be found resting with outspread wings on the under-surfaces of the leaves of this plant, where it is very inconspicuous. There are probably two or more broods during the summer.

On the 11th of May, 1892, I observed large numbers of this species flying over the Manuka bushes in the Wellington Botanical Gardens in brilliant moonlight. The night was very cold, but notwithstanding this the moths were most numerous and active. The appearance of this insect under such unusual conditions may have been quite accidental, as I have never seen a recurrence; but one is often somewhat unobservant in the winter, hence the record of this observation may be of use in directing the attention of others to the subject.

According to Mr. Meyrick this species is also found in Tasmania, and South-east Australia.

ASTHENA SCHISTARIA, Walk.

(Acidalia schistaria, Walk. 782. Asthena subpurpureata, Walk. 1588. Acidalia tuhuata, Feld. cxxviii. 5. Asthena schistaria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 69.)

(Plate VI., figs. 39, 40 , 41, 42 varieties.)

This pretty species is common, and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is nearly an inch. All the wings vary from very pale brown to rather dull purplish-brown; there are numerous jagged, darker, transverse lines forming several more or less distinct bands. The first of these bands extends from the base to about one-eighth; the second, composed of only two or three lines, is situated at about one-third; the third extends from {53}three-fourths to about five-eighths; there are in addition, numerous very fine, wavy lines near the termen. The spaces between these bands are paler, and in some specimens the bands are very conspicuous, whilst in others they are hardly perceptible. One specimen in my collection (Plate VI., fig. 39) has a very broad chocolate-brown band across the middle of both pairs of wings, the remaining portions being unusually pale in colour. There is always a dark brown dot in the centre of each wing, and a series of very fine dots on the termen.

The larva, which feeds on Manuka (Leptospermum), is very ornamental. Its general colour is light green, with black dorsal and lateral stripes, and a series of diagonal markings bordered with crimson; the legs and prolegs are also crimson, and the segments are divided by brilliant yellow rings, a white line extending down each side of the larva.

This caterpillar is difficult to find, as it remains closely concealed amongst the dense Manuka foliage, from which it can be dislodged only by vigorous and continued beating. The larvæ allow themselves to fall a short distance, hanging suspended by a silken thread, which they rapidly ascend when the danger is past.

The pupa is enclosed in a slight cocoon about one inch below the surface of the earth.

The perfect insect appears from October till April. It is very common in most situations where its food-plant is found and, owing to its pale colour, is readily seen when flying in the evening twilight. Specimens may also be taken in the daytime resting with outspread wings on the trunks of trees and on fences, where they are much more easily detected than many other species.

Mr. Meyrick thinks that this insect will also be found in Australia.

Genus 9.--VENUSIA, Curt.

"Face smooth. Antennæ in bi-pectinated, apex simple. Palpi loosely scaled. Fore-wings with areole simple. Hind-wings with vein 8 anastomosing with cell to beyond middle."--(Meyrick.) (Plate II., fig. 13, head of V. verriculata; figs. 25 and 26, neuration of V. undosata.)

We have three species represented in New Zealand.

VENUSIA VERRICULATA, Feld.

(Cidaria verriculata, Feld. cxxxi. 20. Panopæa verriculata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 62. Pancyma verriculata, ib. xviii. 184.)

(Plate VI., fig. 30 , 31 .)