170 Transactions. — Zoology. 



M. plena. 



This moth may be taken nearly all the year round. I have* 

 taken specimens in every month but January and July, and no 

 doubt with careful searching specimens might be brought to 

 light in these months also. At the flowers of the white rata, 

 in November this moth is to be found in great numbers, and 

 from April to June " sugar" will produce numerous examples. 

 This species varies a great deal in the colour of the fore wings. 

 The majority of the specimens are of a deep-green, but some- 

 examples are distinctly ochreous ; others are very pale-green, 

 while some are almost white, having but a faint tinge of 

 green colour. I possess one example which inclines clearly 

 to a blue shade. West Plains. 



M. mutatis. 



Common in all localities. There seems to be a succession 

 of broods from August to May. From larvae and pupae kept I 

 have had moths emerge in August, December, April, and May. 

 One larva pupated on the 17th July, the moth emerging on 

 the 23rd September. Another pupated on the 14th October, 

 the moth coming out on the 1st December. It is commonly 

 found in May, and I have taken the moth as late as the 

 middle of June, but it is most abundant in the latter part of 

 October and in November. The moth comes freely to light 

 and " sugar," and in February and March many specimens are 

 to be found at the flowers of the ragweed. The female moth 

 varies considerably in the ground-colour of the fore wings. I 

 have several specimens in which the greater portion of the 

 wing is white, and one example in which the colour very 

 nearly approaches the silvery-grey of the female iististriga. 

 The male moth also exhibits some variation in shade, but not 

 to such a large extent as the female. 



M. pelistis. 



I have not met with this moth during the spring and sum- 

 mer months, but during February and March the flowers of 

 the ragweed swarm with them. In the middle of February I 

 found many pairs in copulation on the gorse hedges. I have 

 not met with any striking varieties. West Plains. 



M. proteastis. 



I took a few specimens of this species at " sugar " on the 

 8th April, 1900. West Plains. 



M. vitiosa. 



Early in September this moth may be taken at " sugar,"" 

 and in October becomes fairly common, but during November 

 its numbers quickly decrease. A second brood makes its ap- 

 pearance about the middle of March, and continues through 

 April. Considerable variation is displayed in the ground- 



