196 Transactions. — Zoology. 



have ventured to classify it under the family of NymplialidcB, 

 from the fact of its only suspending itself by its tail. I am 

 aware that the sub-family of Libythaince (Fam. Erycinida;) 

 does the same, but hitherto (as far as I know) none of this 

 sub-family has been found in New Zealand. 



Should any of our colonial lepidopterists, who may see 

 this notice, be already acquainted with this form of pupa, and 

 also with its perfect insect, I will thank him to inform me of 

 it. 



Art. XIX. — A few Notes on the Economy and Habits of one 

 of our largest and handsomest New Zealand Butterflies 

 (Pyrameis gonerilla). 



By W. CoLENso, F.E.S., F.L.S., kc. 



[Bead hefore the Hatoke's Bay Philosopliical Institute, 8th October, 1888.] 



A FEW years ago, during my visits to our inland forests, I 

 often had to pass close to a large shrubby Urtica,'^'- and I 

 invariably saw several of our large and handsome butterfly, 

 Pyrameis gonerilla, hovering over it or settled on it. The 

 shrub itself was in a sheltered sunny nook ; and on one day in 

 particular in early spring I counted no less than seventeen of 

 these beautiful creatures at one time so engaged about that 

 shrub, which none of them seemed desirous of leaving. It 

 was a truly lovely scene which I well remember. Spring's 

 woodland harbinger, the large-flowered clematis [C. indivisa) 

 was pretty well developed overhead, swinging and displaying 

 its long wreaths of peerless and pendulous virgin-white tresses 

 from the lofty trees up which it had climbed when young ; 

 around were the many beautiful and stately tree-ferns, while 

 below the ground was thickly carpeted with that neat close- 

 growing bedding plant, with small and regularly - formed 

 emerald foliage, Pratia angidata, expanding thankfitlly its 

 myriads of white and blue star-like blossoms to the morning 

 sun, and so drinking in life. The sun, too, was shining 

 brightly down from the deep concave of the dark-blue sky, 

 rarely flecked by a passing cloud ; while the melodious tuis 

 {Prosthemadera nova-zealandia — parson-bird of the colonists), 

 having had their breakfast of honey and nectar, were singing 

 away joyfully and with good courage from their tiptop perches 

 on the highest sprays, their dark and lustrous metallic plumage 

 reflecting the rays of the sun. It is wortliy of notice that this 

 handsome and highly melodious bird always selects the 

 highest and bare spray of a tall tree for its music-stool, 



* U. ferox, Forst., or a closely allied and undescribed species : U. pun- 

 gens, MSS. 



