Philpott. — List of the Lepidoptera of Otago. 213 



A. fortinata (Guen.), Ent. Mo. Mag. 5, 41 ; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 16, 106. 

 Generally distributed and fairly common. September to March. Mosl 

 plentiful in localities where tree-ferns (Dicksonia and Hemitelia) are abundant ; 

 it rests on the dead hanging fronds of these ferns. 



Gargaphia muriferata Walk., Cat. 1635 , Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 16, 107. 

 Generally distributed, and, like the preceding species, much attached 

 to tree-ferns. September to March. 



Declana leptomera (Walk.), Cat. 1662; Huds., N.Z. M. & B. 94. pi. 10, 

 29 to 31a. 

 Generally distributed. October to March. Near Invercargill and in the 

 Wakatipu district the males are usually much suffused with fuscous-brown. 



D. egregia (Feld.), Reis. Nov. 131, 24 ; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 16, 101. 



Generally distributed in forest districts, but not anywhere common. 

 Ascending to about 2,500 ft. November to February. Through the kind- 

 ness of Mr. G. Howes I have had the opportunity of rearing this species 

 from the larva. The food-plant is Nothopanax Colensoi. When full-grown 

 the larva is about 35 mm. in length and is stoutly built, the body being 

 rugose and irregular. There are two pairs of prolegs, and the anal claspers 

 are broad and flat. The colour is pale ochreous-brown mixed with fuscous 

 on ventral surface and thorax ; head faintly greenish ; second thoracaic 

 segment much swollen dorsally, pale pink ; a double transverse row of 4 

 black dots on median area, the first row hidden by fold except when the 

 head is much depressed, a number of black dots and markings on anterior 

 area ; dorsal line pale, dark-margined, interrupted ; subdorsal darker, 

 black-margined ; lateral indistinct ; spiracles yellowish -red. Segments 9, 

 10, and 11 almost wholly fuscous, marked off from pale posterior segments 

 by oblique black margin ; on segments 6 and 9 a prominent pale dorsal 

 ridge. The young stages are darker in colour. Pupation took place under 

 fragments of dead leaves loosely bound together with a few threads of silk. 

 Pupa elongate, 20 mm., dark red-brown. I think that the appearance of 

 this curious larva is probably of intimidative value. Though generally 

 twig-like in form, the swollen pink thorax is very striking and noticeable. 

 When the larva is disturbed the head is depressed, the spotted dorsal area is 

 brought into view, and the creature sways several times to and fro. Further 

 careful observations and experiments on this interesting larva are much 

 needed. 



D. floccosa Walk., Cat. 1649 ; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 16, 102. 



Found everywhere, and occurring throughout the year. At Queenstown 

 the majority of the specimens are uniformly brownish-cinereous, with the 

 markings more or less obsolete. 



D. junctilinea (Walk.), Cat. Sappl. 643 ; Huds., N.Z. M. & B. 98, pi. 10, 

 37 and 38. 

 Generally distributed but not common. September to April. 



D. griseata Huds., N.Z. M. & B. 98, pi. 10, 32. 



Invercargill ; Dunedin ; Queenstown. September to May. Rare. In 

 Mr. Hudson's description of the moth an error occurs, the male being said 

 to have simple antennae. This is not so ; the antennae of that sex are 

 rather more strongly bipectinated than in D. floccosa. 



D. sinuosa Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 47, 197. 



Hunter Mountains ; Wakatipu. From 2.000 ft. to 3,250 ft. October to 

 February. 



