84 Transactions. — Zoology. 



female), rarely with very obscure cloudy fuscous- whitish longi- 

 tudinal streaks on basal half above and below median vein ; cilia 

 light fuscous or whitish, rarely clear white, with dark fuscous 

 basal line. 



Whangarei, Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch ; com- 

 mon in December and January, frequenting Leptospermum, prin- 

 cipally on coast sandhills. 



SiMiETHis, Leach. 



The three additional mountain species here given are super- 

 ficially very similar, but are easily separated by comparison of 

 the markings of hindwings, and the metallic markings of fore- 

 wings. I have an undescribed Tasmanian species, which also 

 approaches them nearly. 



A. Forewings with metallic markings. 



1. Hindwings with white discal line reaching anal 



angle .. .. .. .. .. .. marmarea. 



2. Hindwings with white discal line interrupted 



above anal angle .. .. .. .. microlitha. 



B. Forewings without metallic markings .. .. syviboltea. 



Sim. microlitha, n. sp. 



Male, female. — 8-10 mm. Head and thorax dark bronzy- 

 fuscous, more or less densely irrorated with white. Palpi dark 

 fuscous, with about eight fine white transverse bars, towards 

 base suffused with white. Antenna? black, annulated with white. 

 Abdomen black, segmental margins sharply white. Legs black, 

 banded with white. Forewings rather elongate, posteriorly 

 slightly dilated, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin 

 slightly rounded, rather oblique ; dark bronzy-fuscous ; markings 

 formed by a fine close white irroration ; a small basal patch, its 

 outer edge angulated ; two angulated transverse hues near 

 together about ^ ; a fine irregular transverse line beyond middle, 

 more or less interrupted in disc ; a thicker line, sometimes 

 separated into two fine lines, from | of costa to anal angle ; 

 some scattered silvery-metallic scales in posterior half of wing, 

 and a series of silvery-metallic marks from near costa at § half 

 across wing, thence bent to near middle of hindmargin, and 

 again bent up to apex : cilia whitish with thick blackish-fuscous 

 basal and rather dark fuscous median lines. Hindwings ovate, 

 evenly rounded ; dark fuscous, basal half lighter and more or less 

 whitish-tinged; a white submarginal dot at anal angle, and a 

 line white nearly straight short white line from very near hind- 

 margin below middle, directed towards § of costa but not nearly 

 reaching it ; cilia as in forewings. 



Mount Arthur (3,900 feet), Arthur's Pass (3,000 feet), and 

 Castle Hill (3,000 feet), in January ; common amongst rank 

 herbage. 



