Part 47

This little species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Christchurch and Mount Hutt in the South Island.

The expansion of the wings is barely 1 inch. The fore-wings are pale greyish-ochreous; there is an interrupted reddish-brown transverse band near the base; two faint, interrupted, shaded blackish lines, one at about one-third and the other at about two-thirds, enclosing between them a large central area, which contains a very distinct black dot above the middle, and several irregular shaded black marks; beyond this there is a wavy reddish-brown band; the apex of the wing is somewhat projecting, and the termen is considerably bowed. The hind-wings are pale grey, with a paler central band, and numerous faint, wavy, darker grey lines. The cilia of all the icings are white, banded with dark grey.

The perfect insect appears from November till January. Mr. Fereday states that it is a plain-frequenting species, especially attached to gorse hedges.

Described and figured from a specimen kindly given to me by Mr. Fereday.

XANTHORHOE CHORICA, Meyr.

(Larentia chorica, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 58.)

(Plate VII., fig. 44.)

A single specimen of this beautiful insect was taken at Akaroa by Mr. Fereday.

The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. All the wings are pale ochreous. The fore-wings have a short transverse black mark from the costa near the base; a fine wavy white transverse line, followed by a wavy black band; the middle of the wing is white, marbled with very pale blue; beyond this there is a broad black band wavy towards the termen, with a very prominent rounded projection near the middle; there are two reddish-brown marks on the costa before the apex, a blackish patch on the termen below the apex, and a row of terminal black dots; the apex is slightly projecting, and the termen is strongly arched. The hind-wings have several fine blackish transverse lines near the base; a broad shaded band in the middle, and a terminal series of black dots.

The perfect insect appears in January.

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

XANTHORHOE SUBOBSCURATA, Walk.

(Scotosia subobscurata, Walk. 1358. Larentia petropola, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 82.)

This species has occurred in the South Island at the Otira Gorge.

"The expansion of the wings is 39 mm. (1½ inches). Fore-wings moderate, termen rounded dark grey, densely irrorated with bluish-whitish; costa broadly suffused with ochreous-whitish anteriorly; a very obscure curved ochreous-whitish line towards base, anteriorly dark-margined; two obscure curved subdentate adjacent whitish lines about one-third, followed by a dark line; a blackish {67}discal dot; a very irregular dentate curved dark grey line beyond middle, followed by two adjacent whitish lines; a sharply dentate obscure whitish subterminal line, anteriorly dark-margined. Hind-wings moderate, termen rounded; markings as in fore-wings, but more obscure, paler and more suffused towards base.

"A fine species, with a peculiar bluish tinge.

"I took two specimens at rest on rock-faces in the Otira Gorge, at 1,800 feet, in January, and saw others."--(Meyrick.)

XANTHORHOE CINEREARIA, Dbld.

(Cidaria (?) cinerearia, Dbld., Dieff. N. Z. ii. 286. Larentia (?) invexata, Walk. 1199; Butl., Cat., pl. iii. 11. Larentia semisignata, Walk. 1200. Larentia inoperata, Walk. 1201. Larentia diffusaria, Walk. 1201. Larentia punctilineata, Walk. 1202; Butl., Cat., pl. iii. 12. Cidaria dissociata, Walk. 1734. Cidaria semilisata, Walk. 1735. Larentia corcularia, Gn., E. M. M. v. 61. Larentia infantaria, Gn., E. M. M. v. 62. Helastia eupitheciaria, Gn., E. M. M. v. 95. ? Cidaria sphæriata, Feld. cxxxi. 14. Larentia cinerearia, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 83.)

(Plate VIII., figs. 2 and 2A, varieties.)

This species is extremely abundant, and generally distributed throughout the country.

The expansion of the wings is from 5/8 inch to 1 inch. The fore-wings vary from pale to dark grey; there are generally four more or less distinct blackish marks on the costa, forming the beginning of transverse bands; the rest of the wing is marbled with dark-grey or black, the disposition of the markings varying exceedingly in different specimens. The hind-wings are pale grey, with a black dot above the middle.

The variation existing in this species is very great, and is thus described by Mr. Meyrick: "Three main forms occur: one large, greyer, and more uniform; a second of middle size whiter and generally strongly marked sometimes bluish-tinged, only found in the hills; and a third small greyish but ochreous-tinged, strongly marked; these are connected by scarcer intermediate forms, and are, I believe, due to the direct effect of food and situation.

"The larva feeds on lichens."

The perfect insect appears from October till March, and frequents a great variety of situations. The colouring of the fore-wings is beautifully adapted for protection on lichen-covered banks, rocks, or fences, where specimens may often be found resting with closed wings during the daytime. This species flies rather freely at evening dusk, and may then be taken plentifully at sugar, blossoms or light. It is, however, a difficult matter to procure specimens in really good condition for the cabinet, as the insect is so extremely restless when confined in a box that if it is not killed at once, it will speedily injure itself during its struggles to escape. This moth is found at elevations ranging from the sea-level to 3,500 feet.

XANTHORHOE ANTHRACIAS, Meyr.

(Larentia anthracias, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 84.)

This species has occurred in the South Island at Mount Hutt and Lake Wakatipu.