48 Transactions. / 



/ 

 Porina. / 



Specimens of P. despecta and umhraculata were sent from time to fime, 

 and four specimens of a very small form, which may only be small males, 

 or may be the males of other species. / 



Porina annulata, n. sp. 



This most interesting form was received by me one day with the 

 following particulars : " Just returned to Skipper's after a rough trip, 

 which, however, I forgot all about after I caught the moth that I am now 

 sending. When we were up Mount Aurum I thought I saw a large moth 

 with a ringed body flying quickly about, just off the ground, but I could 

 not lay hands on one. When we had finished chaining up Stony Creek 

 one of these flew up and got tangled in a tussock right at my feet. I 

 promptly dropped the net over him. . . . I do not know if it is rare, 

 but it was only seen above 4,000 ft., on tussocky beds among the gentians." 



This moth is at once distinguished from the other Porinas by the 

 distinct annulate markings on the body, the only other at all partaking 

 of this character being P. char acterif era, a very much larger moth, 

 probably belonging to a different section of the group. Both the upper 

 and lower wings are semi-transparent. Expansion of forevving, 50 mm. ; 

 lower wing, 44 mm. The forewings are sparsely covered with scales, so 

 as to be nearly as translucent as the hindwings of P. des-pecta. Antennae 

 strongly pectinate in the male. Head and thorax yellowish-brown. 

 Abdomen pale yellowish-grey, with seven or eight black rings, very dis- 

 tinct when fresh, but not so apparent when dry. The forewings are 

 brownish-grey, irregularly covered with markings, the majority of which 

 are spots of an ochre-yellow, interspersed with smaller white marks. The 

 hindwings are brown-grey, showing a few yellowish spots on the termen. 

 Both wings are bordered with dark reddish-brown cilia, longer in proportion 

 than those in P. cervinata. 



The yellow spots on the wings and the annulated body afford the best 

 distinctive points for the recognition of the species. 



In the specimens described the fore and hind wings are more nearly 

 alike in size than in most of the members of the genus, being as 50 and 44. 

 In my specimen of P. cervinata they are as 82 to 65. In P. dinodes the 

 relation is, however, about 70 to 62. In Porina the variation in size, mark- 

 ings, &c., are so great that a long series will be required before any weight 

 can be attached to the proportionate expansion of the wings. 



Type in the Dominion Museum : coll., H. Hamilton. 



