Part 44

XANTHORHOE CLARATA, Walk.

(Larentia clarata, Walk. 1197; Butl., Cat. pl. iii. 14. Cideria pyramaria, Gn., E. M. M. v. 93. Larentia clarata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 79.)

(Plate VII., fig. 31 , 32 .)

This conspicuous species has occurred in the South Island at Lake Rotoiti, Mount Arthur, Castle Hill, Mount Hutt, Dunedin, and Lake Wakatipu.

The expansion of the wings of the male is 1½ inches, of the female 1-3/8 inches.

The species differs from the preceding in the following respects: The ground colour of the fore-wings is brighter, the markings are less oblique and much more jagged; the large white central band is often broken up into several distinct oval patches; the costal edge is very slightly shaded with {62}brown, and the transverse lines do not disappear before reaching the costa. The hind-wings are bright ochreous. The cilia of all the wings are white, strongly barred with yellowish-brown.

There is slight variation in the details of the markings, but the species can always be immediately recognised.

The perfect insect appears in December, January, and February. It frequents open grassy places at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 4,500 feet, and is often extremely abundant in these situations.

XANTHORHOE COSMODORA, Meyr.

(Larentia cosmodora, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 57.)

This species was discovered by Mr. Meyrick in the South Island on Mount Arthur, at an elevation of 4,500 feet.

Female.--27 mm. (slightly over 1 inch). Head, palpi, antennæ, thorax, abdomen, and legs whitish-ochreous, slightly brownish-tinged; abdomen with a double dorsal series of dark fuscous dots. Fore-wings with costa hardly perceptibly arched, termen slightly rounded, oblique; whitish-ochreous, slightly yellowish-tinged; a curved irregular black line rather near base, followed by a white line; median band rather darker, tinged with yellowish-fuscous towards edges, margined with dentate black lines and outside these with white, anterior from one-third of costa to two-fifths of dorsum, rather curved, posterior from two-thirds of costa to three-fourths of dorsum, somewhat prominent beneath costa, and with a more distinct double prominence in middle; two white dentate-edged spots within median band, first beneath costa, containing small black discal dot, second on dorsum; a waved white subterminal line; a fine dark fuscous terminal line interrupted into numerous dots; cilia whitish-ochreous, with dark fuscous bars hardly reaching base. Hind-wings whitish-ochreous, with faint darker greyish-tinged lines; a median band of four more distinct cloudy grey lines, first three straight, fourth well marked, rather dark fuscous, waved, somewhat prominent in middle, beneath confluent with third; a faint white subterminal line; cilia pale whitish-ochreous, with a faint greyish line tending to form spots.

"Appears in January; one specimen. It is conceivable that this may be the other sex of the following species, but they are very dissimilar, and I do not at present think it probable."--(Meyrick.)

XANTHORHOE BRYOPIS, Meyr.

(Larentia bryopis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 57.)

Discovered by Mr. Meyrick in the South Island on Mount Arthur, 4,500 feet above the sea-level.

"Male.--29-32 mm. (about 1¼ inches). Head, palpi, thorax, abdomen, and legs pale greyish-ochreous, slightly greenish-tinged, irrorated with blackish. Antennæ whitish, annulated with black. Fore-wings with costa gently arched, termen somewhat rounded, rather oblique; pale greyish-ochreous, tinged with olive-greenish, irrorated with blackish-grey, tending to form waved transverse lines on basal area; median band margined with dentate black lines and outside them with white; anterior from one-third of costa to one-third of dorsum, curved, posterior from beyond two-thirds of costa to three-fourths of dorsum, somewhat indented above middle, with a moderate double prominence in middle; three blackish-grey subdentate lines within median band, first near and parallel to anterior edge, other two near and parallel to posterior edge, first and second tending to be confluent below middle, space between these more or less suffused with white, enclosing a small black discal spot; an obscure dentate whitish subterminal line, anteriorly margined with dark fuscous, preceded and followed by waved fuscous lines; a terminal series of pairs of dark fuscous dots; cilia ochreish-grey, whitish, barred with fuscous, and with a fuscous basal line. Hind-wings ochreous-grey, with waved darker grey transverse lines, except towards base; a dark grey discal dot before middle; posterior edge of median band formed as in fore-wings, followed by an obscure whitish line and somewhat paler band; terminal dots and cilia as in fore-wings, but more obscure.

"Appears in January; not uncommon. Nearest allied to X. beata."--(Meyrick.)

{63}XANTHORHOE BEATA, Butl.

(Cidaria beata, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 397, pl. xliii. 6. Larentia beata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 79.)

(Plate VII., fig. 35 , 36 .)

This very beautiful species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, is common and generally distributed throughout the South Island, and has also been found at Stewart Island.

The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings are bright green; there is a darker area at the base edged with a jagged white line; then a paler band followed by a very broad darker green central band edged with very jagged white lines, and containing several white patches in the middle, one of which is situated close to the costa and encloses a black dot; beyond this central band there is a paler area, then an interrupted darker green band edged with white towards the termen. There is an oblique pale mark from the apex of the wing. The hind-wings are very pale ochreous, sometimes slightly tinged with green; there are several obscure rows of dusky spots.

The white markings included in the central band are rather variable.

The egg is smooth, oval, and pale green in colour.

The young larva is orange-brown, becoming greenish-brown soon after emergence. The full-grown larva is dark brown above and pale brown beneath, the two colours being sharply separated on the sides by a broken white line. A series of V-shaped markings is situated on the back, each mark enclosing a paler area. Several fine black wavy lines traverse the darker portions of the larva, and a dark mark, edged with black beneath, is situated on each segment just above the ventral surface.

The food-plant is watercress.

The pupa is enclosed in a frail cocoon on the surface of the ground.