68 Transactions. 



Dimensions. — Length, 0-65-0-£8 mm. ; diameter, 0-58 mm. 



Sculpture. — Similar to that of Porina cervinata. The protuberances are 

 slightly smaller. 



Micropyle. — -Similar to that of Porina cervinata, only the white margin 

 around the platform is wanting. The protuberances cease within 0-02 mm. 

 of the platform. The dimensions are : Length of platform, 0-05 mm. ; 

 width of platform, 0-03 mm. ; distance between cells, 0-02 mm. 



Shell. — Opaque ; slight sheen ; very strong ; retains its shape and colour 

 after the emergence of the larva. Gets much dented without any apparent 

 harm to the larva. 



Colour. — When fresh laid, pale cream, turning to steel-grey, and in twelve 

 hours to black with very slight green tinge. 



Note.— The same remarks re protuberances, infertile eggs, and mode 

 of laying apply here as to Porina cervinata. Lots of 626, 503, 343, 205 

 eggs obtained ; in all cases all these eggs were laid in one night. Laid, 

 3rd November ; hatched, 5th December = thirty-two days. 



(Described, 5th November, 1912.) 



Porina characterifera Walk. 



Hepialus characterifera Walk., Cat. Lep. Brit. Mus., Suppl. ii, p. 594 

 (1865) ; Butl., Cat. Lep. N.Z., p. 5. Oxycanus impletus,- ib., 

 p. 598. Porina characterifera Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 22, p. 208 ; 

 Fereday, List N.Z. Lep., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 30, p. 329 ; Hudson, 

 N.Z. Moths and Butterflies, p. 12, pi. 13, fig. 11. 



Several of this rare and beautiful species were caught on Mount Egmont 

 (elevation 3,000 ft.) in January of this year (1913). It was very plentiful, 

 flying high and extremely swiftly. Mr. Hudson, in his " New Zealand 

 Moths and Butterflies," records four only as having been caught ; but 

 many more have, I think, been caught since. The moths did not seem to 

 be at all attracted by light. 



m n, /ox Ovum. 



Class.— Flat (?). 



Shape. — Oval. Transverse section circular. 



Dimensions. — Length, 0-88 mm. ; diameter, 0-65 mm. 



Sculpture. — Similar to that of the egg of P. cervinata. 



Micropyle. — The micropylar platform is oval and slightly raised, with 

 a shallow moat surrounding it ; darker than rest of egg, and covered with 

 the small protuberances that cover the rest of the egg. The micropyle 

 consists oi two small deep circular cells about 0-01 mm. apart. 



Shell. — Opaque ; strong ; slight sheen ; retains its shape and colour 

 after emergence of the larva. Gets very dented in some cases without 

 apparent harm to embryo. 



Colour. — -When fresh laid, pale green, turning within twelve hours to 

 black. No further change. 



Note. — Laid indiscriminately, at fairly long intervals, and not attached 

 in any way to plants or other objects. The remarks about the infertile 

 eggs of P. cervinata apply here also. The moth lays an enormous number 

 of eggs, though only tnirty-three were obtained. Period of incubation is 

 about thirty days. 



(Described .8th January, 1913.) 



