I. —THE CABADBININA. 10 



MELANCHEA PICTULA, White. 



(Dianthoecia pictula, White, Tayl. New Zeal., pi i. 3. Meterana pictula, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. LoncL, 



1S77, 386, pi. xlii. 1. Mamestra pictula, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. six. 18.) 



(Plate IV., fig. 37 2 ■) 



Three specimens of this handsome species have occnrred at Lake Coleridge in the 



South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is If inches. The fore-wings are grey, very faintly tinged with pink, 

 the markings are yellowish-green margined with black, the reniform is large, oral, clear white, with a 

 minute white dot above and below it, there is a series of conspicuous black-edged yellow spots near the 

 terrnen ; the cilia are grey with a series of minute black and white dots at their base. The hind- 

 wings are pale crimson sliadcd with dark grey near the termen, there is an obscure grey spot near the 

 middle ; the cilia are grey. The sides of the abdomen are bright crimson. 

 The moth appears in March. 

 Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection. 



MELANCHEA BHODOPLEUEA, Meyr. 

 (Mamestra rhodopleura, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. six. 19.) 

 (Plate IV., fig. 38.) 

 This species has been taken in the North Island at Napier and Wellington. 

 The expansion of the wings is 1} inches. The fore-wings are greenish-grey, with the markings 

 yellow margined with black ; the hind-wings are dark grey with a terminal series of small yellow spots. 

 The sides of the abdomen are bright crimson. 



This insect is very closely allied to Melanchra pictula, but the absence of the white 

 reniform spot ami the grey hind-wings, /rill at once distinguish it /ram that species. 

 The perfect insect appears in May and June. It is decidedly rare. 



MELANCHRA MEEOPE, n. sp. 



(Plate V., fig. 2.) 



A single specimen of this handsome insect was taken in the Wellington Botanical 

 Gardens in October, 1887. 



The expansion of the wings is nearly two inches. The fore-wings are rich chocolate-brown, with 

 i/ellaw markings outlined in very deep brown : there is a rather broad broken transverse line near the 

 base; a yellow blotch containing a slender curved brown line, on the dorsum at about one-fourth, 

 forming the end of another extremely broken transverse line: the reniform is large, finely outlined 

 with brown towards the base of the wing and half filed in with yellow towards the termen ; between 

 the r, inform and the dorsum there is a jagged yellow transverse line ; there is a terminal series of dark 

 brown streaks and yellow spots, and the termen itself is scalloped ; the cilia are dark brown. The 

 hind-wings are pale brown, pinkish tinged ; there is an obscure terminal line ; the cilia are brownish- 

 pmk. The head and thorax are dark brown, the abdomen pale brown, with the crests darker. 



MELANCHEA PELISTIS, Meyr. 

 (Mamestra pelistis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 20.) 

 (Plate V., fig. 3 $ , 4 ? .) 

 This species has occnrred at Wellington and at Paikakariki, in the North Island. 

 In the South Island it has been found at Akaroa and Lake Coleridge. 



The expansion of the wings is about H inches. The fore-wings are dull ochreous more or 

 less shaded with dark reddish-brown, especially in the vicinity of the transverse lines; there 

 are several obscure pale marks near the base; the orbicular is grey, margined towards the dorsum 

 with a conspicuous white or dull yellow crescentic line; the clamform is small, round, dull grey, 

 edged with darker; the reniform is large, darker grey, paler towards the casta, margined with 



