224 Transactions. 



HAEMATOPODIDAE. 

 Redbill (Haematopus niger unicolor Forster). 

 Along the coast, wherever masses of rock are to be found in conjunction 

 with sandy shores, the redbill is not uncommon. 



CHARADRIIDAE. 

 Dotterel {Pluviorhynchus obscurus Gmelin). 

 Seldom seen on the mainland. In Stewart Island it occurs in fair 

 numbers, nesting on the dunes near the sea and visiting the bare tops of the 

 high country. 



RECUR VmOSTRIDAE. 



Pied Stilt {Himantopus leucocephalus alba EUman). 

 The pied stilt seems to be in no danger of extinction. A flock of about 

 fifty was observed recently on the mud-flats of the New River Estuary, 

 and pairs and small groups may frequently be met with in shingly river- 

 beds and other suitable situations. 



SCOLOPACIDAE. 

 Oriental Whimbrel {Numenius variegatus Salvadori). 



In the collection of the Southland Museum is an examj)le of this species. 

 It was shot on the New River Estuary in 1907, being in company with a 

 flock of god wits. 



LARIDAE. 

 White-fronted Tern {Sterna striata striata Gmelin). 



This very common tern breeds at several rocky stations along the coast. 

 In the middle of December I found numerous eggs and a few young birds 

 just hatched. No attempt at a nest is made, the egg being laid on the 

 sandy grit in the hollows of the rocks. The parent bird will not aUow any 

 other species to approach the breeding-place ; a pair of paradise ducks 

 wliich were swimming in the sea near the rocks were set upon, and com- 

 pelled to dive repeatedly in order to escape their tormentors, and on more 

 than one occasion a harrier which had only come within several hundred 

 yards of the nestery found itself vigorously attacked. It was surprising to 

 see the hawk retreat, without the least show of defence, from a bird less 

 than half its size. 



Art. XXII. — Descriptions of New Species of Lepidoptera. 



By Alfred Philpott. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 10th December, 1918 ; received by Editor, 27th 

 December. 1918 ; issued separately, 20th June, 1919.] 



Pyraustidae. 

 Scoparia illota n. sp. 



<S $. 18-20 mm. Head, palpi, and thorax fuscous-brown mixed with 

 grey. Antennae fuscous, ciliations very short. Abdomen grey, anal tuft 

 ochreous. Legs fuscous, posterior pair paler, apex of tarsal joints narrowly 

 whitish. Forewings elongate, triangular, blackish-fuscous, densely irro- 

 rated with white : first line broad, curved, bluntly angled at middle, white; 



