62 NE W ZEALAND ENTOMOLOG Y. 



cow-dung. The perfect insect may be at once known by 

 its brilliant green colour. 



Family 

 Cylindria sigma (Plate VII., fig. 14). 



A curious species, occurring occasionally in damp 

 situations in the forest where it may be noticed leisurely 

 walking over the leaves of various shrubs. It is very 

 sluggish and may often be captured between the fingers 

 without the aid of a net. Its life-history is at present 

 unknown, but the larva probably feeds on fungi. The 

 pretty little insect depicted at Fig. n may be found in 

 .similar situations but is not so common. 



Family 

 Phora omnivora, n.s. (Plate VII., fig. 15, I5a pupa). 



This minute species may be found in large numbers 

 nearly all the year round. Its larva is parasitic on a great 

 variety of insects and is also not infrequently met with 

 among decaying vegetable matter. Its habits are, there- 

 fore, very varied. When parasitic in the Lepidoptera 

 it usually selects the noctuae, destroying a great number 

 of many of the commoner species 1 . The infected cater- 

 pillars usually turn into chrysalides some time before the 

 little maggots emerge, but this is not invariably the case, 

 ihe parasite often destroying the larva at a comparatively 

 early stage. The pupae are buried in the earth, near the 

 remains of their host, and are light brown in colour, with 

 the segments much more distinct than is usual (Fig. I5a). 

 From these the perfect flies proceed in about a month's 

 time. The occurrence of this insect as a parasite in 

 Coleoptera is not common, but I know of one instance 



1 Mamestra composita, M. mutans, M. ustistriga, Erana grami- 

 .nosa, &c. 



