444 Transactio7is. 



Dehiscence. 



The front, with its cephalic plate, clypeus, labrum, eyes, labial palpi, 

 and maxillae, becomes separated in one piece, but remains attached at the 

 lower extremity of the maxillae by loose slips. There is a slight splitting 

 along the dorsal margin of the antennae, but no violent rupture takes place, 

 and the antennae and first and second legs retain their connection and 

 position in one piece on either side. The vetex remains attached to the 

 prothorax, but is cleft down its vsrtical suture ; this cleft, continuing and 

 dividing the prothorax, extends about half-way down the mid -dorsal region 

 of the mesothorax. 



(2.) Parectopa zorionella Hudson (The Coprosnia Parectopa). (Plate XXX, 



fig. 2.) 



Parectopa zorionella Hudson, Ent. Mo. Mag., 3rd ser., vol. 4, p. 62, 

 1918. 



The Imago. 



Since Mr. Hudson's desciiption of this little moth is not readily acces- 

 sible to all entomologists in New Zealand, I take the liberty to reprint it 

 here : " The expansion of the wings is | in. The forewings are elongate- 

 oblong Avith the costa strongly arched ; very dark brownish black with 

 very vivid steely -blue reflections ; there is a large semicircular silvery-white 

 spot on the costa a little beyond the middle ; an oblique silvery-white bar 

 beyond f, and two much smaller bars just before the apex ; there are three 

 minute silvery spots on the dorsum. The hindwings are dull steely-grey. 

 The cilia of the forewings are black ; of the hindwings dark grey tinged 

 with bronze towards the body." 



The adult moth is not by any means common in the field, possibly 

 owing to the widespread destruction of the Jarvae and pupae by hymen- 

 opterous parasites ; the great majority of mines tUmt I have examined were 

 so infested. Mr. Hudson says the imago may be found among light scrub 

 in November. I myself have not seen the moth outside my breeding- 

 dishes. As soon as it has emerged from the cocoon it retreats to the 

 shelter of the underside of the leaf, where it rests in its peculiar attitude 

 of head elevated, while its wings spread and dry. 



Distribution. 

 The mines of this moth are common on Mount Egmont to an altitude 

 of nearly 4,000 ft. I have found them there during the last three years, 

 and take the following extracts from my notebook : " 10/1/17, only old 

 vacated mines found ; 22/4/17, old mines, fresh mines, and larvae plentiful, 

 no pupae ; 23/12/17, mines and pupae." Of those obtained 22/4/17 the 

 imagos emerged about the middle of Aiigust following. Mr. Hudson records 

 the perfect insect in November in the Botanical Gardens, Wellington, where 

 I have found the mines quite plentiful in February, but chiefly parasited. 

 I was in Wellington again in June and found many mines, but all empty ; 

 in September I found no mines ; in December a number of pupae were 

 obtained; and from these the imagos emerged about the end of the same 

 month. Pupae obtained on Egmont in the beginning of January all 

 emerged during the month. A few mines have been found in Wanganui, 

 but so far none in the South Island. I am able to note that since the 

 preparation of this paper Mr. George Howes found pupae at Waitomo 

 about the end of March, 1920. It would appear as though there were two, 

 if not three, broods in the year. 



