104 Transactions. 



Art. VII. — Recent Observations on Neiv Zealand Macro- 

 lepidoptera, including Descriptions of New Species. 



By G. V. Hudson, F.E.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 1st Mai/, 1907.] 



Plate XV. 

 Anosia plexippus. 



During May, 1906; two specimens of this rare and handsome 

 butterfly were brought to me, having been captured at Makara 

 Beach ; a third was seen in the same locality, and a fourth 

 observed flying about the Queen's Wharf in the city. 



The appearance of this rare insect at an exposed locality 

 like Makara Beach, almost in the middle of winter, is remarkable, 

 and cannot at present be explained. 



Limnas chrysippus. Plate XV, figs. 6, 7 (under-side). 



Mr. Edwin C. Sherlock informs me that in March, 1901, 

 a boy captured a specimen of this butterfly about four miles 

 from the Thames. Mr. Sherlock at once visited the locality. 

 and was fortunate enough to see another, but he could not 

 capture it. No other specimens have since been taken, and. 

 so far as I am aware, these are the only recorded instances of 

 the insect's appearance in New Zealand. 



The figures which accompany this paper were copied from 

 Mr. Sherlock's specimen, and the following is a brief description 

 of the same insect : The expansion of the wings is almost 3 in. 

 The forewings are bright orange-brown, darker towards the 

 costa, and very broadly bordered with black at the apex, 

 tapering off at the tornus ; there is a number of clear white 

 spots near the apex. The hindwings are paler orange-brown. 

 with three obscure brownish-black spots near the middle, and a 

 broad black terminal band containing one or two paler spots. On 

 the under-side the forewings are very broadly shaded with rich 

 blackish-brown ; there is a large patch of dull greenish-yellow 

 above the white spots near the apex. The hindwings are bright 

 ochreous - yellow with a black border, containing numerous 

 white spots, and three central black marks bordered with white. 



This species somewhat resembles Anosia plexippus, but 

 may easily be distinguished from that insect !>v its smaller 

 size and by the veins on the upper side of the forewings not- 

 being marked in black. 



According to Mr. W. F. Kirby, Limnas chrysippus occurs 

 throughout Africa, west Asia, the East Indies, and Greece. 



