76 Transactions. 



Art. XII. — Descriptions of New Species of Lepidoptera. 



By Alfred Philpott. 



Communicated by Dr. W. B. Benham, F.R.S. 



[Bead before the Otago Institute, 1st October, 1912.] 



Hydriomenidae. 

 Tatosoma alta sp. nov. 



(J$. 25-30 mm. Head pale green. Antennae reddish-brown. Thorax 

 green, mixed with ochreous. Abdomen ochreous-grey, becoming more 

 ochreous on terminal segments ; segmental divisions marked with black. 

 Forewings triangular, costa moderately arched, termen obliquely rounded, 

 faintly sinuate below middle ; white, with numerous irregular pale-green 

 transverse lines ; subbasal line black, almost straight ; first line black, 

 interrupted in middle, bent posteriorly on dorsum where it is joined by a 

 projection from subbasal ; median hand broad, furcate on costa and dorsum, 

 anterior edge from before ^ to ^. posterior edge from f to ^, black, thickly irro- 

 rated ivith reddish ; a double subterminal line of the same colour, much 

 interrupted, most pronounced beneath costa and above middle ; a terminal 

 series of paired black dots : cilia white, with dark median line and dark 

 bars opposite paired dots. Hindwings pale fuscous-grey, darker posteriorly ; 

 lobe in S i '■ cilia gi'ey. 



In one ^ the median band is hardly traceable, and there is a suffused 

 yellow mark along lower median from vein 2 to origin of vein 3. This is 

 also represented in other specimens by a few yellow scales. 



Nearest to T. agrionata and T. tipulata. From the latter it is at once 

 distinguished by the much larger lobe of the male, and from the former by 

 the well-defined median band and the darker hindwings. 



The only example of the female known at present was taken at Otira 

 in December, 1908, by Mr. G. V. Hudson. It was captured in forest at 

 about 1,260 ft. above sea-level. From the 24th to the 26th December, 1911, 

 Mr. C. C. Fenwick took a good series of the male on Bold Peak, Humboldt 

 Range, at an elevation of 4,000 ft. to 4,500 ft. They were all taken in the 

 evening, being attracted by the camp-fire, and search during the day on the 

 beech-trunks did not result in any captures. On the 27th December I found 

 a worn male on The Hump in the stunted bush at about 3,000 ft. From 

 these particulars it would seem probable that the species inhabits subalpine 

 forests from about 1 ,000 ft. upwards. The rarity of the ? is somewhat 

 unusual in this genus, other species showing about equal numbers in the 

 sexes. 



Xanthorhoe undulata sp. nov. 



(?. 35 mm. Head ochreous. Antennae ochreous, shortly bipectinated. 

 Thorax grey-brownish. Abdomen ochreous, with scattered black scales and 

 a double black dot on the dorsal surface of each segment. Anterior legs 

 black, annuiated with ochreous. Forewings triangular, costa moderately 

 arched posteriorly, apex obtuse, termen crenate, slightly rounded, oblique : 

 brownish-ochreous ; lines white ; basal line thin, curved, anteriorly bordered 



