32s Transactions. — Zoology. 



Wings hyaline, unspotted, with pale-brown nervures corre- 

 sponding in structure with those of Tephritis tryoni. 



Underside flavescent, not maculate, except at the apex of 

 the last ventral segment, which is piceous. The abdominal seg- 

 ments are concave, or so deeply hollowed that the sides and upper 

 surface appear quite thin. 



Female. — Hind-body elongate-oval, terminal segment rounded 

 and not prolonged ; on each side of the uncovered second seg- 

 ment there is a small cluster of fine black setae : these do not 

 occur in the other sex. 



This species differs from Froggatt's Tephritis psidii in being 

 larger, differently coloured and sculptured, and without dusky 

 areas on the wings. From T. tryoni it is distinguished by the 

 greater length of the body and expanse of wings, uniform color- 

 ation, without fuscous or yellow marks, dissimilar clothing and 

 sculpture, less broadly oviform or wasp-like hind-body, and 

 stouter antennal setae. In T. tryoni the flanks of the sternum 

 are fuscous. 



Art. XXVIII. — On some New Species of Lepidoptera. 



By Alfred Philpott. 



Communicated by G. V. Hudson. 

 [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 2nd November, 1904.] 



Plate XX. 

 Melanchra decorata, n. sp. Plate XX., fig. 2. 



3 , $ , 38 mm. Head and palpi grey-yellowish. Antenna? 

 simple in both sexes. Thorax with strong anterior bifid crest, 

 less pronounced in $ , grey-yellowish mixed with brown ; patagise 

 outwardly bordered with brown ; a white line on collar followed 

 by a black line. Abdomen with series of crests, grey-yellowish. 

 Fore wings : Costa almost straight, termen slightly waved and 

 faintly sinuate, pale brownish-yellow (in some examples tinged 

 with pink) mixed with whitish on basal half of costa ; a very dark 

 reddish-brown shade from middle of base to termen above tornus, 

 bordered beneath from about -J- by conspicuous white fascia which is 

 bent sharply upwards at -f ; a short brown streak from base 

 below middle ; orbicular oblique, faintly outlined in brown ; reni- 

 form large, pale, outlined in brown ; space between orbicular and 

 reniform dark reddish-brown, connected with costa by narrow 

 projection ; two brown spots on costa above reniform ; a faint 

 double waved line from costa at f ; subterminal indistinct, 

 pale, waved, bordered with bright reddish-brown ; veins faintly 



