PuRDiE. — Description of a New Species of Moth, 71 



tlie costal edge, while the hindwings are greyish white, with 

 a black discal dot and a few faint lines. 



This species has received its specific name because its 

 colourings and markings seem to me to have a protective like- 

 ness to those of the thaUus and theccc of some lichens. It 

 occurs not uncommonly in the forest about the river-bed in the 

 upper part of the Leith Valley, Dunedin. I have collected 

 specimens in the latter part of January ; and it is not known to 

 Mr. Fereday or to Mr. Meyrick, except from my specimens ; 

 hence its range must be somewhat limited. 



I stated that I had bred out three species of Pasiphila from 

 the larval state, and the descriptions of the larvae are here sub- 

 joined. Specimens of the perfect insects have been sent to 

 Mr. Meyrick for identification. There seem to be differences 

 between these caterpillars quite unusual in the case of closely- 

 alhed species. The first and second descriptions are reprinted 

 from the "N.Z. Journal of Science" for July, 1884 :— 



No. 1. Pasiphila, sp.? 



" Larva smooth, green, about 10 mm. long ; an indistinct 

 dorsal and sub-dorsal stripe of darker green ; underside green, 

 with a light ventral stripe ; head yellowish. Formed small 

 rough earthen cocoons on the surface of the earth. The food- 

 plant is 2Iyoporum. Icetum. Larvae m March. (See ' N.Z. Journ. 

 Sc.,' March, 1882, p. 95.)" 



No. 2. Pasiphila, sp.? 



" Larva about 12 mm. long. Colour brownish ; surface very 

 rugged ; body tapermg somewhat towards the head. Two pair 

 of small dorsal tubercles about the middle, the posterior pair 

 being larger. Oblique lateral dark markings faintly seen on the 

 dark ground colour ; below lighter. I have beaten this larva 

 from Aristotelia, from. Leptospernnim ericoides, and from a mixed 

 growth of bramble {Rubus) and Muhlenheckia. Larva in Decem- 

 ber and January." 



No. 3. Pasijyhila, sp.? 



Larva loopers fi-om 13 to 17 mm. long, with a black median 

 dorsal line, and on each side of it a black sub-dorsal line. The 

 whole dorsal area between the sub-dorsal lines is brown, or 

 brownish-black, while the rest of the back is greenish-white ; 

 below greenish-white ; lateral line and median ventral line, 

 white ; there are sometimes dark blotches above the lateral line, 

 while below it the ground colour is sufl'used with purplish-black. 

 The median dorsal line is often bordered with greenish-white. 



The larvaB were found about full-grown, feeding on Veronica 

 salicifoUa, in the Leith Valley, Dunedin, in the beginning of 

 April. Two of the moths were reared, one of which bad the 



