342 Transactions. 



Should the case catch on a projection an extra high lift is given to clear 

 the obstacle. The larvae began to pupate about the end of June, the first 

 moth appeared on the 3rd August, and emerging continued till the middle 

 of October. When preparing for pupation the larvae attaches the apex of 

 its case to the surface of a stone or the stem or leaf of some plant. The 

 attachment is not rigid, but permits the case to swing in all directions. 

 The head of the pupa is well separated from the thorax, and the legs reach 

 quite to the extremity of the abdomen. On the dorsal surface of the last 

 abdominal segment there is a transverse row of stout recurved spines ; 

 these probably serve to keep the pupa from slipping from the case when the 

 emergence of the imago is taking place. 



As this is the first new species to be reared in the insectarium of the 

 Cawthron Institute, I have thought it fitting to give it a name serving in 

 some degree to mark the circumstance. The type and paratypes are in the 

 collection of the Institute. 



MlCROPTEEIGABAE. 



Sabatinca ianthina n. sp. 



S $. 9-10-5 mm. Head clothed with long bright ochreous hair. 

 Antennae blackish, annulated with ochreous on basal half. Thorax ochreous 

 mixed with black. Abdomen black, sparsely clothed with whitish-ochreous 

 hair. Legs fuscous, tarsi annulated with ochreous. Forewinas broadly 

 lanceolate, apex less acute in $ ; dark metallic violet ; a band of pale lemon- 

 yellow at base ; a lemon-yellow hand before \, faintly excurved, and dilated 

 slightly on dorsal half; a variable series of lemon-yellow dots on costa 

 between median band and apex, and a similar series on dorsum, usually 

 two in each case but sometimes four or five : cilia greyish-fuscous. Hind- 

 wings dark metallic violet, fuscous basally : cilia as in forewings. 



A very handsome and distinct species. 



Dun Mountain, Nelson, at about 2,000 ft. A fair number were taken on 

 a rocky slope covered with various species of mosses and liverworts. Many 

 plants of a species of Gahnia grew on the spot, and the moths were nearly all 

 taken by sweeping from this plant. Search on Gahnia, however, in other 

 situations where no moss or liverwort was present failed to produce any 

 moths, so that it is probable that the food plant of the species will be found 

 to be a moss or a liverwort. 



