I. THE CARADEININA. 9 



LEUCANIA GEISEIPENNIS, Feld. 



(Mamestra griseipennis, Feld., pi. cix. 22. Chera virescens, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 489. Spalotis inconstans, 

 ib. 545 ; Leucania moderate!, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 7 (nee Walk.). Leucania griseipennis, Meyr., 

 Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 44.) 



(Plate IV., fig. 8.) 



This species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island. In the South Island 

 it has been taken at Mount Arthur, Lake Coleridge, Rakaia, Akaroa, and Lake Guyon. 



The expansion of the wings is 1J inches. The fore-wings are dull greenish-grey ; there are two 

 obscure blackish transverse lines near the base and several dull white dots ; a very conspicuous 

 transverse curved black shade near the middle, followed by an extremely jagged dull white transverse 

 line, another less jagged transverse line near the termen ; the orbicular is oval, pale, edged with black ; 

 the reniform and claviform are also pale but inconspicuous ; the cilia are tinged with brown. The 

 hind-wings are grey ivith the cilia wholly white. 



The following variety, taken on Mount Arthur, is thus described by Mr. Meyrick : 



" Var. A. Thorax and fore-wings without ochreous tinge, with numerous white scales tending 

 to form suffused spots and margins to lines ; cilia distinctly barred with darker ; hind-wings grey, 

 with dark grey, irregular terminal band." * 



The perfect insect appears from November till March, and is said to be very common 

 in certain localities. It has been taken at considerable elevations in the Nelson province 

 (4,700 feet above the sea-level on Mount Arthur, by Mr. Meyrick and myself). In 

 Wellington it is certainly a scarce species. 



LEUCANIA MODEEATA, Walk. 



(Agrotis moderate,, Walk., Suppl. 705. Eumichtis sistens, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 39. Mamestra sistens, 

 Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 19. Leucania moderata, ib. xx. 45.) 



This species has occurred at Eakaia in the South Island. It very closely resembles 

 the preceding species, from which it is said to be distinguished by the cilia of 

 the hind-wings, which are "partially grey in Leucania moderata, wholly white in 

 L . griseipennis. ' ' (Meyrick.) 



The perfect insect appears in February. I am unacquainted with this species. 



LEUCANIA TEMPEEATA, Walk. 

 (Bryophila temperata, Walk., 1648 (nee Meyrick). Xylina inceptura, ib. 1736. X. deceptura, ib. 1737. 



Leucania temperata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 45.) 



"Terminal joint of palpi moderate; form of wing as in Leucania griseipennis, first and second 

 lines whitish, inconspicuous, margined with black dots, second line evenly curved, subterminal per- 

 ceptible ; cilia grey, indistinctly barred with white. Hind-wings grey." (Meyrick.) 

 Described by Mr. Meyrick from the British Museum specimens. 

 I am unacquainted with this species. 



LEUCANIA NULLIFEEA, Walk. 



(Agrotis nullifera, Walk., Noct. 742; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pi. ix. 5. Alysia specifica, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 3. 



Leucania nullifera, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 7.) 



(Plate IV., fig. 9 ; head, Plate II., fig. 11.) 



This large though sombre-looking insect has occurred in the North Island at 

 Taupo and Wellington. In the South Island it has been taken commonly at Mount 

 Arthur, Christchurch, and Eakaia. 



The expansion of the wings is from 2J to 2f inches. The fore-wings are uniform dull grey, 

 with a double row of very faint white spots parallel to the termen ; the hind-wings, head, thorax, 



and abdomen are pale grey. 



' Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 7. 



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