CHAPTER VI. 



This Order includes the well-known Butterflies and Moths 

 which are the first insects to arrest attention on account 

 of their beautiful colouring and conspicuous appearance. 

 Some of the families are fairly numerous in New Zealand, 

 but the diurnal section is decidedly poorly represented, our 

 total number of butterflies being limited to fifteen, of which 

 one (Diadema nerina) has unquestionably been introduced 

 from Australia, although it will doubtless shortly effect a 

 permanent settlement in the Nelson district, where several 

 specimens have recently been observed. Among the others 

 only four species can be called at all common, the remaining 

 twelve only occurring in certain favoured localities. Of the 

 moths there are a large number, chiefly belonging to the 

 Geometridae and Micro-Lepidoptera, many of which are 

 very interesting. Of the life-histories of the latter, however, 

 I regret to say there is little known at present, the atten- 

 tion of naturalists having been hitherto chiefly occupied 

 with the larger and more conspicuous species. 



Group RHOPALOCERA. 

 Family Nymphalid.e. 

 Argyrophenga antipodum (Plate VIII., fig. i type, ia var.). 

 Passing over the local but conspicuous Danais plexippus, 



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