II.— THE NOTODONTINA. 89 



Many of these darker forms might readily be taken for distinct species, when compared 

 with the pale orange-brown variety, but a good series of specimens presents 

 numerous intermediate forms which completely connect these extreme varieties. The 

 females also vary, but are never as dark as the males. 



The larva feeds on Todea hymenophylloides, a fern which grows in shady places in 

 the depths of the forest. The length of the caterpillar when full grown is about 1^ inches. 

 It is very variable ; some specimens are dull brown, with a row of green or pale brown 

 lunate spots down each side, and a dark brown line down the back. Others are bright 

 green, with a diagonal reddish-brown stripe on the side of each segment; the segmental 

 divisions are reddish-brown, intersected by numerous very minute whitish lines. 



The pupa is enclosed in a loose cocoon on the surface of the ground. 



The perfect insect appears from November till March, and is very common in forest 

 regions. It may often be dislodged from the dead fronds surrounding the stems of tree- 

 ferns, and is also met with in great abundance towards the end of summer on the blossoms 

 of the white rata. 



Genus 4.— SESTEA, Walk. 



" Pace smooth. Palpi short, rough-haired beneath, porrected. Antennae in male stout, serrate, 

 shortly ciliated. Fore-wings with vein f> from below 9, 7 from below angle of areole, 10 rising out of 

 9 above origin, anastomosing again shortly with 9, 11 anastomosing shortly with 10, 12 anastomosing 

 shortly with 11. Hind-wings normal." — (Meyrick.) (Plate II., (ig. 53, neuration of fore-wing of 

 Sestra humeraria.) 



We have two species in New Zealand. 



It will be seen that my figure of the neuration of Sestra humeraria does not 

 precisely agree with Mr. Meyrick's description. The differences in the results arrived 

 at are probably due to the variability in structure of veins 10, 11 (and 12), mentioned 

 when dealing with the characters of the entire family. Similar slight discrepancies also 

 occur in connection with the three following genera. 



SESTEA HUMERARIA, Walk. 



(Macaria humeraria, Walk. 910. Lozogramma obtusaria, ib. '.is.;,. Cidaria obtruncata, ib. 1421. Sestra 



fusijilagiata, ib. 1751. Amastris encausta, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 105. Sestra humeraria, ib. xviii. 184.) 



(Plate X., tigs. 1 ami -1 varieties; Plate IIP, fig. 20, larva.) 



This species is very common, and generally distributed throughout both the North 

 and the South Islands ; it also occurs plentifully at Stewart Island. 



The expansion of the wings is 1^ inches. The fore-wings are pule plum-colour; there is an 

 indistinct, curved, brownish transverse line near the base; a straight dark brown line across the 

 middle, and a curved series of blackish dots beyond the middle ; the apex is pointed, and the termen 

 has a strong projection a little above the middle. The hind-wings are ochreous, with a series <>( 

 minute brownish dots across the middle. 



This is a variable species. The fore-wings are often much clouded with rich brown, 

 and in some specimens scarcely a trace of the original purplish colour remains ; the 

 central straight transverse line is often absent, and the other lines are frequently very 

 indistinct, except on the costa ; the dots on the hind-wings are also often absent, and 

 occasionally specimens are met with in which all the wings are almost white. 



The larva is rather elongate, dull yellowish-brown or greenish-brown ; there is a very broad dark 

 brown dorsal line, and several wavy lateral lines ; the prolegs are black, the spiracles are also black ; 

 there is a slight hump on the posterior edge of each of the last six segments, the hump on the penulti- 

 mate segment being considerably larger than the others. The length of the caterpillar when full 

 grown is about 1 inch. 



12 



