Watt. — Contributions to Entomology of New Zealand. 413 



Dehiscence. 

 When the imago is matured, and ready for emergence, the pupa forces 

 its anterior segments oixt of the cocoon. The pupa-case bursts down the 

 centre of the ventral surface ; the head-piece, to which the eye-cases and 

 "maxillae and palpi are attached, is thrown off, but does not get lost owing 

 to its being held by the tips of the maxillae. 



Food Plants. 

 The Australian broad- and narrow-leaved wattles {Acacia -pycnantha. 

 Acacia saligna). Indigenous food plants unknown. 



Distribution. 

 Wanganui (M. N. W.), July to March. 



Art. XLI. — Description of a New Species of Melanchra from Mount 



Egmont. 



By Morris N. Watt, F.E.S. 

 'iRead bejore the Wanganui Philosophical Society, 1st November, 1915.] 



Melanchra olivea n. sp. 



Expanse of wings slightly under If in. The antennae of the male are deeply 

 serrated, with the serrations finely ciliated. The forewings are very rich brown, 

 strongly tinged with claret-colour ; there is a short blackish-brown basal 

 streak, very broad at the base ; the first line is slightly curved oblique, 

 extending from ^ of costa to ^ of dorsum ; the claviform is large ; the 

 orbicular is large, oval, oblique, not closed towards the costa ; the reniform very 

 large, ear-shaped, also open towards the costa, and inwardly edged with ivhitish 

 toioards the termen ; both reniform and orbicular are sharply outlined in 

 very dark rich brown ; there is also a darker brownish cloud between 

 them ; the second line is rich brown finely waved, indistinct except to- 

 wards the dorsum ; the subterminal line is rusty-brown, obscurely edged 

 with whitish ochreous ; the terminal area is obscurely clouded with 

 blackish ; the hindwings are dark brown, paler towards the base. 



The type specimen was captured in the early part of January, 1915, and 

 was the only specimen obtained during that trip.* The food plant of this 

 species is not yet known. It may be worth noting here that very few 

 of the large-bodied moths were seen till about 9 p.m., after which time 

 they would be flying in numbers. This happened every night and with 

 great punctuality. Curious, too, the light-bodied moths, which were not 

 attracted by light, though plentiful before 9 p.m., would then become 

 very scarce. 



* Since writing the above I have obtained a good series of this moth from Moimt 

 Egmont during a short trip in January, 1916. These were all caught at light on the 

 veranda of the Mountain House (altitude, 3,000 ft.). During this trip the female was 

 caught. It is a beautiful moth, with the antennae simple, expanse of wings greater, 

 colour richer, and markings more distinct than in the male. I have lately seen the collec- 

 tion of Mr. George Howes, of Dunedin, and was surprised to find a series of a moth which 

 appears to be the southern form of M. olivea. Tiie strildng points are : Palpi densely 

 covered with grey hair ; foreivin^s uniformly bluish-grey with markings generally red- 

 brown ; outer margin of reniform strongly bent inwards. It is interesting to note that 

 two specimens of this latter form were caught on Egmont during the January, 1916, trip. 

 I had considered these to belong to a new species till I saw the intermediate varieties 

 in Howes's collection. 



