BY E. MEYRICK, B.A. 257 



Esch. melichrysa, n. 8p. 



$ ? . 4"-6". Head snow-wMte. Palpi wliite, fringe of 

 second joint mixed with, dark fuscous-grey. Antennae wliitisli- 

 oclireous, basal joint white. Thorax white, irregularly suffused 

 on margins with greyish-ochreous. Abdomen dark ochreous- 

 grey. Legs pale greyish-ochreous, tarsi suffused with darker 

 grey at base of joints. Fore-wings white, with irregular and 

 partially suffused greyish-ochreous or yellow-ochreous markings ; 

 an oblique rather narrow dark-margined band from \ of costa, 

 meeting an obsolete similar band from \ of inner margin on 

 disc, to form an angulated fascia of which the lower half is 

 indistinct; before this are several irregular strigulae on costa 

 and inner margin ; a similar dark-margined angulated rather 

 broader fascia from f of costa to about f of inner margin, often 

 furcate on costa (in one specimen obsoletely double throughout), 

 most indistinct on disc ; between the two fasciae are faint greyish- 

 ochreous clouds on disc, and sometimes indistinct fuscous-grey 

 strigulse on costa ; apical portion of wing greyish-ochreous or 

 ochreous, separated from second fascia by a narrow white fascia, 

 and connected with it by an oblique greyish-ochreous dark- 

 margined irregular band below middle ; in the a^oical portion 

 are two small white irregular spots on costa close before apex, a 

 small blackish apical dot, white-margined above and below, a 

 small white black -margined spot on hind-margin beneath apex, 

 and some irregular confused white black-margined spots on 

 lower part of hind-margin and on disc ; all the markings are 

 variable in shape and intensity of colouring ; cilia yellowish- 

 ochreous, with a dark grey dividing line, and a white spot below 

 apex. Hind-wings and cilia pale slaty-grey. 



A rather elegantly marked insect, but variable in size and 

 colouring ; my southern specimens are the largest and brightest. 

 Eather common at Wellington aijd Dunedin, New Zealand, in 

 December and January, beaten from forest growth ; its habits 

 are sluggish. 

 2 Qc 



