I.— THE CARADRINTNA. 7 



ORTHOSIA COMMA, Walk. 



(Manicstra comma, Walk., Noct. 239 ; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix., 6. G-raphiphora implexa, Walk., 

 Noct. 405. Hadcna phisiata, ih., Suppl. 742; Nitocris bicomma, Gn., Ent. Mon. Mag. v., 4. Orthosia 

 comma, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 30.) 



(Plate V., lis. 27 <? , 28 2 ; Plate III., fig. 11, larva.) 



This is apparently a common and generally distributed species. It has occurred 

 plentifully at Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch, and Rakaia. 



The expansion of the wings is about \\ inches. The fore-wings are dark grey crossed by four 

 wavy, black-margined, transverse lines ; beyond the outermost of these lines there is a black band 

 running parallel with the termen, and beyond this again a broader band of the ground colour; the 

 orbicular spot is very minute and dull white ; the reniform, which is surrounded by a black shading, 

 is large, yellow towards the costa, and white towards the termen. The hind-wings are dark grey. 

 The females are generally much darker than the males, some specimens having the fore-wings very 

 dark brownish-black. 



Both sexes vary a good deal in the depth of colouring, but the markings appear to 

 be quite constant. 



The larva is dark brown, tinged with pink; the subdorsal region is paler, there are a series 

 of diagonal blackish stripes on each segment, and the anterior portions of the larva are much darker 

 than the rest of the body. 



The specimens I reared were fed on lettuce, but I expect that the caterpillar feeds 

 on low plants generally. It is full grown about January. The pupa state is spent in the 

 earth. 



The moth appears in January, February, and March. It is very common at the 

 flowers of the white rata, and may also be attracted by sugar and by light. 



OPTHOSIA IMMUNIS, Walk. 



(Taniocampa immunis, Walk., Noct. 430. Cerastis innocua, ib. 1710 (locality probably erroneous). Agrotis 



acetina, Feld., Eeis. Nov. pi. cix. 6. Orthosia immunis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 30.) 



(Plate V., fig. 29.) 



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

 the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is If inches. The fore-wings vary from bright orange-brown to dull 

 reddish-brown; there is an obscure black dot near the base, a faint transverse line at about one-fourth ; 

 the orbicular is oval, faintly outlined in brown ; the claviform is very faint, its position indicated by a 

 small brown dot ; the reniform is large, oblong, much indented towards the termen, doubly outlined 

 with dull yellow and containing a blackish spot towards its lower edge, its posterior margin is shaded 

 with dark brown ; there are several faint, wavy, transverse lines near the termen, and the termen 

 itself is shaded with brownish-black; the cilia are reddish-brown. The hind-wings are dull grey; 

 the cilia are pale reddish-ochreous tipped with white. The head is covered with scattered white scales, 

 the thorax is reddish-brown, and the abdomen is grey tipped with reddish-brown; the upper joints 

 of the tarsi of the anterior legs are white. 



The perfect insect appears in January, February, and March. It frequents the 

 blossoms of the white rata, where it occasionally may be taken in the daytime, but more 

 frequently at night. It is not, however, a common species. 



Genus 3.— XANTHIA, Tr. 



"Antenna; in male filiform, moderately ciliated. Thorax with sharp compressed anterior and 

 small posterior crest. Abdomen not crested." — (Meyrick.) 

 Only one New Zealand species is known at present. 



