NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 169 



hermaphrodite I have met with is a specimen of Pliisia verti- 

 cillata, which I captured in the larval state at Wakapuaka, Nelson, 

 on January 10th, 1883, the moth unfortunatel}' emerging with the 

 wings much deformed on February 6th. In this instance the 

 difference is only observable in the colour of the wings, which 

 are lighter and with a faint pink blush on the right side as in the 

 female. In all other respects the insect is a male. Grease has 

 now almost completely ruined this already very poor specimen. 

 Another insect which I believe to be hermaphrodite in its nature 

 is a specimen of Vanessa gonerilla, bred in January, 1883. The 

 larva, which was the latest in changing, and much starved owing 

 to the nettles running short, appears to have had much difficulty 

 in turning into pupa, as it fell down and knocked in the right 

 wing-case and left palpus. When the butterfly emerged in a 

 fortnight's time I noticed that the wings of the right side, 

 although perfectly formed, were much smaller and more dee j)ly 

 indented than those of the left, the anterior margin of the 

 right wings being, in addition, considerably more convex. The 

 antenna on the right side is, also, nearly half a line shorter than 

 its fellow, and the abdomen on the right side has shrunk up, the 

 left side retaining its original form. These peculiarities may be 

 said to arise from the accident which befel it when undergoing 

 its transformation, but the fact of the abdomen collapsing on the 

 right side cannot, I think, be attributed to this cause, indicating, 

 as it does, an internal difference of structure, viz., the absence of 

 a right ovarium. On examination, the external sexual organs 

 appeared to be rudimentary. — Geo. Vernon Hudson ; Karori, 

 Wellington, New Zealand. 



Retinia turionana. — I have collected lately a lot of pupse of 

 this species ; up to this date I have bred thirty-two ichneumons 

 and two moths. — William Machin; May 14, 1885. 



Notes on Platyptilia gonodactyla. — The last sentence of 

 Mr. Gregson's letter, as to the likelihood of having another 

 " plume " to account for in our collections, has induced me to 

 write a few words with regard to the above species, which still 

 puzzles some of those who ought long ago to have cleared up any 

 mystery there may be in the economy of such a common species. 

 As far back as 1880, in vol. xiii. of the ' Entomologist,' }>. 288, 

 Mr. Machin writes, " P. trigunodactylus {gonodactyla) was 



ENTOM. — JUNE, 1885. z 



