Meykick. — On New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera. 167 



ing dorsal half of wing, its upper margin not notched, cut in 

 middle by a slender inwards-angulated white line reaching 

 inner margin, and with a very minute projection at f ; a white 

 dot on inner margin at J ; a fine black longitudinal line in disc 

 towards apex : cilia grey, with a black apical hook. Hind- 

 wings and cilia grey. 



Sydney, New South Wales ; only on the fence of the 

 Botanical Gardens, where it is common fi'om September to 

 December. Eeadily distinguished from the preceding by the 

 white dot on inner margin of forewings at J, the absence of 

 the notch on dorsal streak, the junction of the central indenta- 

 tion and dot into an angulated line, and the minuteness of the 

 projection at f ; these differences are entirely constant. 



Stathmopoda, Stt. 



Head smooth ; ocelli present ; tongue developed. Antennae 

 f, in male with very long fine ciliations (4-5), basal joint 

 elongate, without pecten. Labial palpi very long, recurved, 

 slender, smooth-scaled, terminal joint as long as second, acute. 

 Maxillary palpi very short, drooping. Posterior tibite clothed 

 with rough hairs above, posterior tarsi with projecting bristles 

 at apex of two basal joints. Forewings with vein 1 furcate, 2 

 from near angle of cell, 2 and 3 sometimes partially obsolete, 

 7 and 8 stalked, 7 to costa, 11 from beyond f . Hindwings h, 

 linear-lanceolate, cilia 6 ; veins 2, 3, 4, 5 tolerably parallel, 

 cell open between 5 and 6, 6 and 7 from a point. 



This genus (of which the nem-ation is incorrectly given both 

 by Stainton and Wocke) is represented in Europe by only one 

 species (for the so-called Stathmopoda guerinii is generically 

 quite distinct) ; but from Australia and New Zealand I have 

 over thirty species, though the genus does not seem to have 

 been identified elsewhere. It forms the type of a group, 

 generally recognisable by the recurved palpi being directed 

 sideways instead of forwards, the apical bristles of the tarsal 

 joints, and the exceptional posture of the hindlegs in repose. 

 In StathmojJoda the hindlegs are erected more or less perpen- 

 dicularly over the back, the tarsi usually bent more sideways ; 

 but in some Australian species the insect does not always 

 assmne this posture, and sometimes does it with one leg only. 

 Probably this attitude may be designed to deceive enemies by 

 its unnatural appearance ; it does not seem to imitate any- 

 thing in particular. The occasional obsolescence of veins 2 and 

 3 of the forewings is an interesting phenomenon ; from the 

 examination of a good many denuded specimens I find no 

 stress is to be laid on it ; the obsolescence begins at the base 

 of the veins, and appears in various degrees, sometimes only 

 the extreme tips of the veins remaining. The genus differs 

 from ail others of the family, except Vanicela, by the very long 



