22 per cent, of the entire Lepidopterous fauna, a higher pro- 

 portion than in any other region. This is mainly due to the 

 enormous development of the Cramhidae, Cranibus alone con- 

 taining 42 species ; and especially to that of the genus Scoparia, 

 of which no fewer than 92 endemic species are now known. 

 It is only in the Hawaiian Islands, from whence about 60 

 species have been recorded, that we find this well-marked genus 

 so largely in evidence. Many of the principal families are 

 cither absent, or barely represented by a very few stragglers or 

 immigrants, but there are 16 endemic species of the Pteropho- 

 ridae, and the widely distributed Stenoptilia zophodactyla Dup. 

 has been found at Wellington. Pyralis farinalis L., Plodia 

 interpunctella Hiibn., and MeUphora grisella F. have also been 

 introduced by commerce, and are now established in the 

 Dominion. The Tortricina present a considerable variety of 

 forms, nearly all endemic, but only one of these, Cacoecia 

 excessana Walk, appears to be of economic importance, its 

 larva sometimes attacking apricot and other fruit trees. The 

 " Codlin Moth," Carpocapsa pomonella L., has been introduced 

 into New Zealand, but fortunately has not there become so 

 great a pest as in Australia and Tasmania. 



In his " Kevision of the New Zealand Tmeina," * Mr. Mey- 

 rick remarks that " the Tineina usually constitute more than 

 one-third of the Lepidoptera of any given region, and this 

 proportion is apparently maintained in New Zealand." As 

 364 out of the 1078 species now known from the region belong 

 to this division of the Lepidoptera, this estimate of its represen- 

 tation is very nearly exact. Fully one-third of these, again, 

 are included in a single family, the OecopJtoridae, and only in 

 Australia does this family bear as large a proportion to the 

 entire Tineid fauna. On the other hand, the extensive family 

 Gelechiadae is represented by only a few species, and the 

 Adelidae, which Mr. Meyrick says (I.e. p. 206) are " an ancient 

 family and present in all the other continental regions (for I 

 consider New Zealand as a continent, or rather the remains 

 of one) " are entirely absent. Our " Currant Clearwing," 

 Trochilmm iipjuUforme CI. has been introduced, and is now to 

 be found throughout the Dominion; and the cosmopolitan 

 * Trans. N.Z. Inst., XLVII. pp. 205-244. 



PBGC. ENT. SOa LOND., Ill, IV, V, 1920. I 



