92 



NEW ZEALAND ENTOMOLOGY. 



spicuous moth when flying in the evening, owing to its 

 light colour. The larva (Fig. 2a), which feeds on the 

 manuka {Leptospcrmum ericoides), is very ornamental. Its 

 general colour is light green, with black dorsal and lateral 

 stripes, and a series of diagonal markings bordered with 

 crimson ; the legs and prolegs are also crimson, and the 

 segments are divided by brilliant yellow rings, a white line 

 extending down each side of the larva. It is difficult 

 to find, as it remains closely concealed amongst the dense 

 manuka foliage, from which it can only be dislodged 

 by vigorous and continued beating. The caterpillars 

 allow themselves to fall a short distance, hanging sus- 

 pended by a silken thread, which they rapidly ascend 

 when the danger is passed. The pupa is rather attenuated, 

 dark-brown, and much pointed at its posterior extremity. 

 It is found buried about an inch in the earth, and the 

 moth appears in a month's time. This insect varies 

 much in intensity of markings. The males are generally 

 considerably darker than the females, but are more cer- 

 tainly distinguished by their attenuated bodies. 



The pearly white Asthena pulcJiraria occurs in October 

 and April ; it is a most beautiful insect, and may be found 

 amongst the foliage of the kawakawa {P. excclsuui), on 

 which its larva will probably be found to feed. 



Family Pyralid.e. 



Scoparia hetniplaca (Plate XII., fig. 4). 



This pretty little moth was reared from a larva 

 found feeding amongst moss during the winter of 1885, 

 but unfortunately I neglected to make a drawing until 

 it was too late. Doubtless many of the other Pyrales we 

 meet with in the New Zealand forest have similar habits, 

 their larvae probably feeding on different kinds of mosses. 

 These can always be examined during the winter months, 



