Watt. — Stud// of New Zealand Entomology. 265 



highest trees. This peculiarity has been recorded by several observers. 

 While resting, the wings are held flat, the dorsal margins of the upper wings 

 being parallel, thus giving the moth its characteristic triangular appearance. 



The Cocoon. 



Prior to spinning, the larva becomes very restless if disturbed, wandering 

 hastily and aimlessly about the food plant, and feeds but little, if at all. 

 Later it forsakes the food plant, those in captivity having a tendency to 

 crawl to the top of their breeding-cage. The cocoon is constructed amongst 

 neighbouring rubbish on or near the ground, a favourite place being under 

 the loose bark of near-by trees. Actual spinning operations last about 

 two days. The cocoon appears to be constructed in two portions — an 

 outer and somewhat fluffy case, after the construction of which the larva 

 rests some hours : and an inner and more close and compact lining, sticky. 

 and containing a large number of the long spinulose hairs of the larva ; 

 these, being but loosely set in the larval epidermis, become caught in the 

 lining of the cocoon during spinning and become detached, and so help to 

 strengthen it. When all is finished the larva rests in an inverted position, 

 and about two days later undergoes the final moult, appearing as a pale- 

 white-coloured pupa. It rapidly attains its black and yellow coloration, 

 which it retains till just prior to the emergence of the imago, when the 

 yellow areas become almost entirely obscured, the general appearance 

 being black. Hutton records (Trans. N.Z. Inst., ix, p. 355) that the pupa 

 is hung to trees, palings, grass. &c. : this must undoubtedly be a mistake. 



Food Plants. 



Xew Zealand groundsel (Senecio bellidioides), Senecio scandens, S. vul- 

 garis: Cineraria maritima ; also responsible for the large holes so often 

 to be seen in the rangiora-leaves (Brack yglottis repanda) ; has been found 

 feeding on Senecio Turneri, S. Hectori. S. sylvaticus, S. latifolius, Erechtites 

 <n> pita, and cereals. 



Parasites. 



Nemorea nyctemerianus. Mr. Hudson records (" Manual of New Zea- 

 land Entomology," p. 59, pi. 7. fig. 6) that the eggs are deposited on the 

 moth-larva at an early age. The maggot eats its way out during the 

 pupal stage of the moth, and changes into a dark-brown pupa, being pro- 

 tected by the cocoon of its host. I have not come across any of these 

 parasites in the Wanganui district. 



The Pupa. 



It has been found necessary to rewrite Mr. Quail's description, owing to 

 several omissions concerning important structural details which if included 

 here by themselves would be valueless for want of further information. 



Length, § in. ; greatest width, about J in. The general colour is black, 

 but there may be a slight brownish tinge in some ; the nervures of the wing- 

 cases are yellow. Mr. Quail records one specimen having the wing-cases 

 almost entirely yellow. Yellow areas on the abdominal segments form 

 4 longitudinal lateral series, 1 large mid-ventral, and a large mid-dorsal. 

 The shape is robust, thickest near the posterior margin of the 3rd abdominal 

 segment. The head is ventral ; mesothorax swollen anteriorly, and a 

 waist is formed dorsally at the juncture of the metathorax and the 1st 

 abdominal segment. The wing-cases extend to the ventral posterior edge 



