IX. -THE MICBOPTEBYGINA. 133 



POEINA ENYSII, Butl. 



(Porina enysii, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 381, pi. xlii. 7. Porina enysii, Meyr., Trans. 

 X. Z. Inst. xxii. 207.) 

 Plate XI II., fig. i) 3 , lis- 10 ? .) 

 to be confined to the North Island, where it is rather rare. 

 vings of the male is 2i inches, of the female 3J inches. The fore- 

 [. more or less marbled with yellow and dark brown; there is a very 

 II white spots margined with black ami arranged irregularly on the 

 wing. The hind-wings are pinkish-brown, tinged with ochreous on flu 1 termen. 



This species varies a good deal in the extent of the darker markings, and number 

 and position of the dtdl white spots. When alive it is usually very strongly tinged 

 with pink. 



The perfect insect appears in December and January, and frequents forests. It 

 is especially fond of resting on the stems of tree-ferns in the daytime, where, 

 however, it is extremely inconspicuous, and can only lie discovered by very careful 

 searching. It is also very partial to light, and specimens might perhaps be secured 

 more plentifully, if a good attracting lamp were exhibited in a suitable locality. 



PORINA CHARACTERIFERA, Walk. 



(Hepialus character ifer. Walk., Suppl. 594. Oxycanus impletus, ib. 598. Porina characterifera, Meyr., 



Trans. X. Z. Inst. xxii. 208.) 



Plate XIII.. fig. 11 J.) 



This hue species has been taken in the North Island at Auckland, Kaitoke, and 

 Wellington. 



The expansion of the wmg- is about ■'< inches. The fore-wings are rather dull yellow, 

 finely marbled with black ; there are tiro conspicuous irregular black mark* <i little above the 

 middle of tin- dorsum. The hind-wings are very dark purplish-brown with the cilia yellow, barred 

 with broion. The bead and thorax are dull yellow, speckled with black, and the abdomen is dark 

 purplish-brown, barred with dtdl white, with a yellow tuft at the apex. 



The perfect insect appears in October, November, and December. At present 1 

 am only aware id' four specimens in collections, viz., two in the British Museum, 

 taken at Auckland; one in Mr. Meyrick's collection, taken by Mr. H. B. Kirk 

 on the Rimutaka Ranges, at an elevation of about 1,500 feet; and one kindly given 

 to me by -Mr. W. R. Morris, who took it at Wadestown, near Wellington.* It is 

 evidently a scarce species, but may be looked for in the forest districts of the 

 North Island. 



PORINA CERVINATA, Walk. 



(EUuimma cervinata, Walk., Suppl. 595. Porina vexata, ib. 597. Pielus variolaris, Gn., Km. Mo. .Mag. v. 1. 



Porina fuliginea, Butl, Cist. Ent. ii. 488. Porina cervinata, Meyr., Trans. X. Z. Inst. xxii. 208.) 



(Plate XIII., tig. 1-2 J, fig. 18 variety of ? .) 



This insect is fairly common, and generally distributed throughout the country. 

 It is very abundant m the Manawatu district. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1A inches. The fore-wings vary fnun brownish-black 

 to dull yellow, there are several small white spots near the base margined with black, and an 

 obscure cloudy central streak, sometimes containing one or two minute irregular white marks ; 

 near the termen a broad, pale, wavy line runs from the costa to the dorsum, and contains 

 several elongate dull white spots, margined with black; another series of smaller spots is often 

 situated between this line and the termen ; there is a terminal row of small black spots. The 



Since writing the above I understand from Mr. Baunehr that he has met with several specimens of this species 

 in forest on the Dun Mountain, Nelson, at an elevation of about '2.UUU feet. 



