8 NEW ZEALAND MACRO-LEPIDOPTERA. 



XANTHIA PUEPUEEA, Butl. 



(Graphiphora purpurea, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. XautJiia ceramodes, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 31. 



X. purpurea, ib. xx. 46.) 



(Plate V., fig. 32.) 



This handsome species has been found at Wellington in the North Island, and at 



Dunedin in the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is 11 inches. The fore-wings are rich, glossy reddish-brown with 

 several scattered whitish scales; there is a distinct yellow mark on the costa at about one-fourth, 

 forming the beginning of a broken transverse line ; the orbicular is small, round, and yellowish ; the 

 reniform is small, crescentic and yellowish, the space between the orbicular and flic reniform is very 

 dark blackish-brown; beyond the reniform there is a conspicuous white mark on the costa forming the 

 beginning of a second broken transverse line ; a third shaded line is situated near the termen. The 

 hind-wings are pale brown with a dark spot in the middle, very conspicuous on the under surface. 



The perfect insect appears from September till April. It is usually taken at sugar 

 or light, but is not a very common species. 



Sub-family 2.— MELANCHRIDES. 



Eyes hairy. 



Genus 4.— PHYSETICA, Meyr. 

 "Palpi with terminal joint in male greatly swollen, as broad as second, rather short, rounded, 

 with an orifice in outer side, in female normal. Antenna' in male filiform, simple. Thorax and 

 abdomen smooth."— (Meyrick.) (Plate IE, fig. 8.) 



PHYSETICA C.EEULEA, Gn. 

 (Agrotis carulea, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 38. Physetica carulea, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 5.) 

 (Plate IV., fig. 7.) 

 This fine species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and at Blenheim 

 and Kakaia in the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is If inches. The fore-wings are slaty-blue; there is an obscure, 

 wavy, whitish transverse line near the base, two very wavy blackish lines at about one-third, a dark 

 transverse shaded line across the middle, containing the orbicular spot, then a very wavy line followed 

 by a darker space and a wavy, dull, whitish terminal line. Hind-wings dark grey, paler near the hase, 

 cilia shining white. 



The perfect insect appears in October, December, and January. Mr. Fereday states 

 that it was formerly very common at blossoms. 



Genus 5.— LEUCANIA, Ochs. 



"Head rough-scaled; eyes hairy. Antenna' in male ciliated. Thorax with or without slight 

 anterior crest. Abdomen not crested. 



" A very large cosmopolitan genus, equally common everywhere ; it is a development 

 of Melanchra, to which some of the New Zealand species give such a complete transition 

 that a line of demarcation can hardly be drawn. The larvae all feed on Graminece"— 

 (Meyrick.) 



We have seventeen species. 



