Part 74

The expansion of the wings is nearly 3 inches. On the upper side all the wings of the male are pale sulphur-yellow, with a minute brown mark at the apex. The female is paler, with a brown spot in the centre of the fore-wings, and a chain of brown spots on the termen towards the apex.

A single male specimen of this butterfly was captured in the grounds of St. John's College, Auckland, and is now in the Auckland Museum. The species is very common in Australia, and as this is the only specimen observed it was no doubt accidentally introduced from that country on board a steamer.

{122}V.--THE PYRALIDINA.

Not dealt with in this volume.

VI.--THE PSYCHINA.

The Psychina are distinguished by the following characters:--

"Eyes glabrous. Maxillary palpi rudimentary or obsolete (yet sometimes well marked in pupa). Posterior tibiæ, with spurs very short, middle spurs often absent. Fore-wings with vein 1b furcate, 1c usually developed, 5 more or less approximated to 4. Hind-wings with frenulum, retinaculum often very broad, 1c present, 8 connected or anastomosing with cell." (See Plate I., figs. 30, 31 neuration of Oeceticus omnivorus.)

"This ancient group, which furnishes the origin of the five preceding, is not now very prominent, though much more numerous in warm regions.

"Imago with fore-wings more or less elongate-triangular, hind-wings ovate, often rather small.

"Larva with 10 prolegs, usually with few hairs.

"Pupa with segments 8-11 free, usually 7 also (except in Psychidæ), in male 12 also; protruded from cocoon in emergence."--(Meyrick.)

The Psychina and Micropterygina are included amongst the Micros by most modern authors. I have, however, described and figured certain conspicuous and interesting species belonging to both these groups. The insects in question have, until so very recently, been regarded as Macros, that I think it would be a mistake to omit them in the present volume. There can, however, be no question that the modern view is the correct one, and that notwithstanding the large size of some of the species, they are really closely allied to those Micro-Lepidoptera, with which they are now associated.

Of the Psychina we have one family represented in New Zealand--the Psychidæ.

Family 1.--PSYCHIDÆ.

"Head densely rough-haired. Ocelli large. Tongue obsolete. Antennæ half the length of the fore-wings or less, in male strongly bi-pectinated to apex. Labial palpi very short, hairy. Thorax densely hairy above and beneath. Abdomen, femora, and tibiæ densely hairy, posterior tibiæ without middle spurs, end spurs extremely short. Fore-wings with vein 1a anastomosing with 1b before middle; 1c (if present) coincident with 1b beyond middle, 7 absent. Hind-wings, with vein 8, connected by bar with upper margin of cell. Female apterous, without legs or developed antennæ.

{123}"A rather small family of universal distribution, but commoner in warm countries. Male imago with thinly scaled wings, without markings; flight strong and swift, sometimes in sunshine. The female is almost wholly helpless; the abdomen is at first greatly distended with eggs, and ultimately shrivels up.

"Ovum oval, smooth. Larva inhabiting a strong portable silken case, covered with fragments of stick or refuse. Pupa within the larval case."--(Meyrick.)

There are two genera in New Zealand closely allied to each other.

1. OECETICUS. 2. OROPHORA.

Genus 1.--OECETICUS, Guild.

"Ocelli present. Antennæ 1/3, in male strongly bi-pectinated, much more shortly on apical half. Labial palpi extremely short, rough-haired. Abdomen in male very elongate, roughly hairy. Legs hairy, tibiæ without spurs, posterior tarsi extremely short and stout. Fore-wings with veins 4 and 5 short-stalked, 7 sometimes out of 9, 8 and 9 stalked, forked parting-vein well defined. Hind-wings with veins 4 and 5 stalked, forked parting-vein well defined, 8 connected by bar with cell beyond middle. An additional vein (9) rising from 8 beyond bar, another (10) from 8 before bar, and another (11) from base of costa running into 8 before 10." (See Plate I., figs. 30, 31.)

"This generic name was wrongly spelt Oiketicus by its originator and others, for which there is no possible justification. I have corrected it."--(Meyrick.)

Although I have made several examinations of fully denuded wings of OE. omnivorus, I have been unable to discover any trace of the additional veins mentioned by Mr. Meyrick. The hair-like scales which clothe the wings of this insect are very long and slender, and might easily be mistaken for a short vein, if placed in the requisite position. I am disposed to think that the examination of undenuded specimens has led to the discrepancy between the results.

We have one species.

OECETICUS OMNIVORUS, Fereday.

(Liothula omnivora, Fereday, Trans. N. Z. Inst. x., 260, pl. ix. Oeceticus omnivorus, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxii. 212.)

(Plate XIII., fig. 6 ; Plate III., fig. 26, larva in its case; fig. 25 ditto withdrawn from case.)

This interesting species is seldom seen as an imago in the natural state, although the cases constructed by its larva are of common occurrence. Specimens of these cases have been noticed at several localities between Palmerston, in the North Island, and Invercargill, in the South Island, so that apparently the insect is common, and generally distributed throughout New Zealand.