Meyrick. — On Sew Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera, 167 



dark fuscous bands on second joint, and one above middle on 

 terminal joint. Antennae, abdomen, and legs pale greyish- 

 oclireous, legs irrorated with dark fuscous. Forewings elongate, 

 narrow, acutely pointed ; pale brownish-ochreous, densely irro- 

 rated with whitish-grey, and more or less with dark grey or 

 blackish-grey ; the dark irroration forms two small spots on 

 costa towards base, and a suffused streak along inner margin, 

 connected with three or four small irregular spots about fold ; 

 cilia pale greyish-ochreous, towards base mixed with blackish- 

 grey points, forming one or two distinct blackish lines round 

 apex. Hindwings with apex acute, hindmargin moderately 

 emarginate, in male with a dilation in middle of costa, and a 

 long dense pencil of hairs from costa at base ; pale grey ; cilia 

 pale greyish-ochreous. 



Closely allied to the other European species of the Solatium- 

 feeding group, but distinguished from all by the costal hair- 

 pencil of the hindwings in male. 



Larva feeding gregariously in the tubers of the cultivated 

 potato, boring galleries through their substance, and causing 

 them to rot. This insect does very great damage, especially 

 where potatoes are allowed to remain stored for any length of 

 time, and sometimes destroys nine-tenths of the crop. 



Taranaki and Napier, probably generally distributed ; com- 

 mon also throughout Eastern Australia ; occurs from November 

 to May, coming freely to lamps, and flying at dusk in potato- 

 fields. The species has certainly been introduced with the 

 potato, and is probably a native of Algeria. 



Walker's name is really the older, but cannot be allowed to 



stand, as he appears to have overlooked the already existing 



Gelechia terrella, Hb., a well-known and abundant European 



species. 



7. Gel. thyraula, n. sp. 



Male.— 9-11 mm. Head, palpi, thorax, and abdomen 

 white irrorated with grey ; palpi with two blackish bands on 

 each joint. Antennas white, annulated with black. Legs 

 blackish, apex of joints and a median ring of tibiae white. Fore- 

 wings elongate, narrow, acutely pointed ; whitish, irrorated with 

 black; markings black, ill-defined ; a small spot on costa near 

 base, and a second obliquely beyond it on fold ; a rather oblique 

 streak from costa beyond J, reaching half across wing ; three 

 small discal spots, first in middle, second on fold obliquely 

 before first and almost touching apex of transverse streak, third 

 in disc beyond middle ; cilia grey- whitish, towards base mixed 

 with black points. Hindwings with apex acute, hindmargin 

 moderately emarginate ; pale whitish-grey ; cilia grey-whitish. 



An inconspicuous but easily recognised species. 



Christchurch and Castle Hill ; five specimens in January 

 and February. 



