208 Transactions, — Zoology. 



beauty with Australia and the adjacent islands, and America ; 

 even Britain is far better off in variety than this colony. Of the 

 few we can boast of, the specimen which I have the pleasure to 

 exhibit is, I believe, one of the largest and most beautiful. 



It was caught in a garden, near the Normanby Bridge, on 

 the 18th of last March, and is the only specimen I have hitherto 

 met with. 



In vol. ix. of the Transactions I believe there is a notice of 

 the capture of the only other female specimen recorded ; it was 

 captured by Thomas Tanner, Esq., of Hawke's Bay. 



The male has been several times met with, but still not fre- 

 quent, since the Bev. Richard Taylor, of Wanganui, states he 

 only observed two in a period of thirty-two years. Dr. Barker 

 also saw one in a garden at Christchurch. 



I have affixed the name Diadema nerina to this specimen, but 

 I am not absolutely certain whether it may not be a distinct 

 variety, inasmuch as it does not quite coincide with the descrip- 

 tion of this species given in Mr. Enys' book " On the Butterflies 

 of New Zealand," published in Christchurch in 1880. 



From that work (which I may state is a reprint from vol. x. 

 of the Transactions,) I gather : " The range of this species is 

 peculiar ; it occurs in Java, Australia, New Guinea, and the 

 Loyalty Islands, and a small variety in Samoa." 



Dr. Semper, in his work, says : — " In Samoa the larva lives 

 long after it is adult, and then becomes a pupa very abruptly. 

 The pupa? hang suspended everywhere on trees, old stones, 

 etc., and change after twelve days. Breed in November. It is 

 very probable that the habits of Diadema nerina would be very 

 similar to that of Samoa." 



From this extract it will be seen that this species forms 

 another of the interesting links that exist amongst the fauna of 

 New Zealand, and that of Australia and adjacent islands, each 

 in their way helping to establish the theory advanced by geolo- 

 gists, of these countries, with New Zealand, having in past ages 

 formed one vast continent. 



I give my own description of the specimen now before you. 



Order LEPIDOPTERA. 

 Section Rhopaloceba. 



Sub-family Nymphalinae. 

 Species Diadema nerina. 

 Description — Female. — Above black-brown, fringes white, 

 varied ; primaries with tawny-red patch extending from the 

 internal border towards the discoidal vein. An oblique whitish 

 band beyond the cell, divided into four elongated spots bordered 

 with a bluish tinge. A double sub-apical whitish spot anterior 

 margin blue tinged, from which extend a series of three small 



