Hudson. — On Macro-lepidoptera. 11 



the same time Mr. K. P. Buller informed me that he had 

 taken a magnificent specimen near Featherston. 



Paradetis porphyrias. 



Dm'ing a visit to Wainuiomata early last December I 

 found this species quite commonly flying amongst the ferns 

 which fringe the road on the northern side of the reservoir. 

 Previously, the insect was only recorded from a few mountain 

 localities in the South Island, so that its occurrence at Wai- 

 nuiomata is very interesting. I, however, expected that the 

 moth would prove to be more generally distributed than was 

 at first supposed. (" New Zealand Moths and Butterflies," 

 p. 41.) 



Asaphodes siris. 



Two specimens of this species have been taken near Wel- 

 lington by Mr. Hawthorne since the publication of his de- 

 scription of the insect in vol. xxix. of the Transactions. The 

 three specimens which are thus available exhibit no varia- 

 tions, and prove beyond all doubt the distinctness of the 

 species. 



Selidosema fenerata. 



Early last February 1 succeeded for the first time in work- 

 ing out the life-history of this species. The larva, which was 

 discovered feeding on macrocarpa, is very handsome. Its 

 length when full grown is about 1 inch. The general colour is 

 vivid green, with shining white markings. There is a broad 

 lateral Ime, with an interrupted line above it ; a series of 

 large crescentic marks down the back, with a white dash in 

 the middle of each; two interrupted subventral white lines. 

 The head is green, with a rusty-brown mark on each side. 

 This larva is very inconspicuous amongst the foliage of the 

 Macrocarpa, and its colouring is evidently protective. Origin- 

 ally its food-plant was probably rimu, amongst the foliage of 

 which the caterpillar's remarkable colouring would probably 

 be equally efficient for protective purposes. The pupa is con- 

 cealed about 1 inch below the surface of the earth. The per- 

 fect insects emerged towards the end of March ; but in a state 

 of nature S. fenerata is found during most of the year. 



Azelina fortinata. 



In December last this species was extremely abundant 

 at Wainuiomata, frequenting clumps of Lomaria (?), a fern 

 which occurred plentifully in many parts of the forest above 

 the reservoir. I have always noticed this insect attached to 

 this particular fern, and I expect that its larva feeds thereon ; 

 but, although I spent some hours in searching, I was unable 

 to find any specimens of the lai'va. Many of the fronds were 



