18 NEW ZEALAND MACBO-LEPIDOPTEBA. 



black, and crossed by two grey lines ; there is an interrupted white terminal transverse line and a 

 series of black dots on the termen. The hind-wings are grey, paler towards the base ; the cilia of all 

 the wings are slaty-brown. 



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



MELANCHKA MUTANS, Walk. 



(Hadena mutans, Walk., Noct. 602. H. lignifusca, ib. 603. Mamestra angusta, Feld., Keis. Nov., 

 pi. cix. ly. M. acceptrix, ib., pi. cix. 19. Hadena debit is, Butl, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 3«5, 

 pi. xlii. 6. Mamestra mutans, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 17.) 



Plate IV., fig. 34 <? , 35 2 , 36 3 , variety ; Plate III., tig. 15, larva.) 



This is a very abundant species throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is about li inches. The fore-wings are pale reddish-brown in the 

 male, grey in the female ; the markings are black and somewhat indistinct ; the orbicular spot 

 is nearly round, the claviform semicircular, the reniform large and not margined with black towards 

 the termen ; a line runs parallel with the termen, and emits on its outer side a tooth-like mark ; inside 

 this line the ground colouring of the wing is usually lighter. The hind-wings are grey, darker in the 

 male ; the cilia are white with a cloudy line. The head, thorax, and abdomen are brown in the male, 

 grey in the female. The antennas are slightly bipectinate in the male. 



This species varies much in the ground colouring of the fore-wings, especially in the 

 male, where it ranges from pale pinkish-brown to dark brown. The wings of the female 

 are frequently much clouded with dark grey. 



The larva is rather stout, with the anterior segments wrinkled. It varies much in colour ; the 

 dorsal surface is usually reddish-brown ; the lateral line is broad and black ; a series of subdorsal 

 stripes are also black ; the ventral surface is green. Sometimes these markings are hardly visible, and 

 the larva is entirely green, whilst occasionally the brown colouring predominates. 



It is a sluggish caterpillar, and feeds on low plants (Plantago, &c.) during the whole 

 of the spring and summer. It often frequents the luxuriant growth surrounding logs and 

 stones which have long been left undisturbed. 



The pupa state is spent in the earth or amongst moss on fallen trees. When this 

 stage occurs in the summer it is of short duration, but in the case of larvae becoming full 

 grown in the autumn, the regular emergence does not take place until the following spring. 



The moth may be observed on mild evenings nearly all the year round, but is com- 

 moner during the summer. It is an extremely abundant species, and is very often seen 

 resting on tree trunks during the daytime, in which position the colouring of both sexes 

 will be seen to be very protective. 



MELANCHKA AGOBASTIS, Meyr. 

 [Mamestra agorastis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 18.) 

 (Plate V., fig. 30 2 .) 

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

 Guyon in the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1] inches. The fore-wings are rich reddish-brown, with dull 

 yellowish-white markings; the claviform is small, grey, margined with dark reddish-brown; the 

 orbicular is also rather small, grey, margined with dull white ; the reniform is rather large, oblong, 

 dark grey, margined rather broadly with yellowish-white. The hind-wings are dark brown. The 

 antenna of the male are shortly pectinated. 



This species very closely resembles a dark specimen of Melanchra pelistis so far as the 

 female is concerned, which is the only sex I have had an opportunity of examining. 

 The perfect insect appears in February and March. It is a scarce species. 



