NEW ZEALAND MACRO-LEPIDOPTERA. 



Sub-family 3. — Caradbinides 



9. Bityla. 



10. Agkotis. 



11. Heliothis. 



12. cosmodes. 



Sub-family l.—POLIADEB. 



"Eyes naked, ciliated (i.e., furnished with a marginal row of long cilia curving over them)." — 

 (Meyriek.) 



Genus 1.— MISELIA, Steph. 



" Antennae in male filiform, moderately ciliated. Thorax with anterior angles projecting, 

 somewhat crested. Abdomen not crested." — (Meyriek.) 



We have at present but one New Zealand species. 



MISELIA PESSOTA, Meyr. 

 (Miselia pessota, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 29.) 

 (Plate V., fig. 26.) 

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

 Coleridge and Eakaia in the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull purplish-brown ; there is an 

 oblong black mark at the base of the dorsum containing a slender curved' white line; the orbicular 

 is rather small, round, margined first with dull white and then with black ; the reniform is large, 

 oblong, dull white, margined with pale ochreous towards the base of the wing ; there is a 

 conspicuous oblong black mark between the orbicular and reniform stigmata. The hind-wings are dull 

 grey, with the cilia paler. 



The perfect insect appears in January. One specimen was taken at sugar in the 

 Wellington Botanical Gardens, and two specimens are recorded from Canterbury. It is 

 evidently a scarce species. 



Genus '2.— OIITHOSIA, Ochs. 



"Head rough-scaled; eyes naked, ciliated. Antennae in male ciliated. Thorax with or without 

 anterior crest. Abdomen not crested. 



"A considerable genus of nearly universal distribution, though mainly found in 

 temperate regions of both hemispheres. The imagos are almost all autumnal, and their 

 yellow and ferruginous colouring is doubtless adapted to the autumn tints of falling 

 leaves." — (Meyriek.) 



Represented in New Zealand by three species. 



OETHOSIA MAUGAKITA, Hawth. 

 (Orthosia margarita, Hawth., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxix. '283.) 

 (Plate V., fig. 31.) 

 This species was discovered at Wellington by Mr. E. F. Hawthorne. 

 The expansion of the wings is about I/) inches. The fore-wings are dark brownish-black and 

 rather glossy; there are several obscure dark marks near the base; the orbicular is oval, oblique, 

 brownish-yellow, slightly darker in the middle ; the claviform is almost obsolete ; the reniform is rather 

 large, bordered with dull white towards the base and termen ; beyond the reniform there is a very 

 distinct wavy transverse line ; another line is situated near the termen emitting several black wedge- 

 shaped markings from its inner edge. The hind- wings are shining white and iridescent, with the 

 veins black and the casta and termen narrowly shaded with black. 



Described and figured from specimens in Mr. Hawthorne's collection. 



