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82-83 [April, 



A NEW CR AMBUS FEOM NEW ZEALAND. 



BY E. MEYRICK, B.A., F.R.S. 



Reprinted from " The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," 2nd Series, Vol. xxii. 



Crambus obstructus, n. sp. 



$ ? . 22-26 mm. Head and thorax light greyish-ochreous. Antenna in 

 i minutely ciliated. Palpi 4, fuscous, white towards base beneath. Fore- 

 wings elongate, narrow, somewhat dilated posteriorly, costa gently arched, apex 

 obtuse, termen in J slightly rounded, rather oblique, in $ straight and more 

 oblique ; pale brownish-ochreous, more or less strongly infuscated posteriorly ; 

 a rather broad irregular-edged white median streak from base to termen beneath 

 apex, interrupted at f by an irregular spot of the infuscated ground colour ; 

 sometimes some whitish suffusion along costa towards apex ; cilia pale greyish- 

 ochreous, sometimes partially infuscated, on extremity of streak mixed with 

 white. Hind-wings pale whitish-ochreous-grey ; cilia ochreous-whitish. 



Three specimens taken near Lumsden, Otago, by Dr. Gr. B. 

 Longstaff, who states that they flew into the train, on March- 8th, 

 1910. This would imply that the species was locally abundant ; it is 

 an odd accidental discovery, but specimens might be easily overlooked 

 amongst the common and variable C. vittellus, to which it is generally 

 similar. I have collected at Lumsden myself, but not so late in the 

 season. Type in Oxford University Museum ; Dr. Longstaff very 

 kindly gave me one of the other examples. This makes the 38th New 

 Zealand Crambus, all endemic, besides an endemic genus developed 

 from Crambus (Orocrambus) with six species ; whilst in Australia 

 there are only two species of Crambus, both immigrants. 



Thornhanger, Marlborough, Wilts. : 

 February 2\st, 1911. 



