162 Transactions. — Zoology. 



article. Though the majority of the species dealt with are to 

 be found in Southland, I have not restricted myself to arti- 

 ficial boundaries, and " southern " in this case must be under- 

 stood to mean practically Southland and Otago. For much 

 information regarding the moths of central Otago I am 

 indebted to Mr. J. H. Lewis, and I have also freely availed 

 myself of information supplied by other trustworthy workers. 

 Where no locality is given for a species it may be understood 

 that it is to be found in the near neighbourhood of Inver- 

 cargiil. 



Metacrias strategica. 



This moth appears to be on the increase. The larva is 

 probably distasteful to birds, and as it feeds on introduced 

 grasses its increase is not a matter for surprise. On the 

 9th December, 1901, I put a couple of newly emerged females 

 in a box and placed it on a low shrub. This was at half- 

 past 5 in the morning, and in a few minutes several males 

 were flying round the bush, and in the course of the day 

 nearly two hundred visited the box. I have several times 

 seen the males on the wing between 5 and 6 a.m. It re- 

 sembles in this habit the very common Nyctemera annulata. 



Miselia iota, Hdsn. 



A very worn example of this moth was taken in the 

 winter of 1900, and a second was secured at sugar m October, 

 1901. 



Orthosia immunis. 



There appears to be only an autumn brood of this moth. 

 I have met with it in fair numbers on the ragwort (Senecio) in 

 March, but have not taken it at any other time. 



Physetica cserulea. 



This moth may be struck off our southern lists for the 

 present, the Orepuki examples having turned out to be Leu- 

 cama moderata. 



Leucania propria. 



This species is often confused with L. atristriga. The 

 fore wings are, however, broader in 'propria, and the differ- 

 ence in form of the dark longitudinal basal streak is very 

 noticeable. This streak in atristriga tapers to an acute 

 point, while in propria it is but slightly tapered, and ends 

 obtusely. 



Li. acontistis. 



I learn from Mr. J. H. Lewis that this species is common 

 at Ida Valley and Wedderburn. 



