I. THE CARADRINTNA. 19 



MELANCHEA PICTULA, White. 



(Diamthoecia pictula, White, Tayl. New Zeal., pi i. 3. Meterana pictula, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 

 1877, 386, pi. xlii. 1. Mamestra pictula, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 18.) 



(Plate IV., fig. 37 <? .) 



Three specimens of this handsome species have occurred at Lake Coleridge in the 

 South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is If inches. The fore-wings are grey, very faintly tinged with pink, 

 the markings are yellowish-green margined with black, the reniform is large, oval, clear white, with a 

 minute white dot above and below it, there is a series of conspicuous black-edged yellow spots near the 

 termen ; the cilia are grey with a series of minute black and white dots at their base. The hind- 

 wings are pale crimson shaded with dark grey near the termen, there is an obscure grey spot near the 

 middle ; the cilia are grey. The sides of the abdomen are bright crimson. 

 The moth appears in March. 

 Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Fereday's collection. 



MELANCFEA EHODOPLEUEA, Meyr. 

 (Mamestra rhodopleura, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 19.) 



(Plate IV., fig. 38.) 



This species has been taken in the North Island at Napier and Wellington. 

 The expansion of the wings is 1J inches. The fore-wings are greenish-grey, with the markings 

 yellow margined with black ; the hind-wings are dark grey with a terminal series of small yellow spots. 

 The sides of the abdomen are bright crimson. 



This insect is very closely allied to Melanclira pictula, but the absence of the white 

 reniform spot and the grey hind-wings, will at once distinguish it from that species. 

 The perfect insect appears in May and June. It is decidedly rare. 



MELANCHEA MEEOPE, n. sp. 

 (Plate V., fig. 2.) 



A single specimen of this handsome insect was taken in the Wellington Botanical 

 Gardens in October, 1887. 



The expansion of the wings is nearly two inches. The fore-wings are rich chocolate-brown, with 

 yellow markings outlined in very deep brown ; there is a rather broad broken transverse line near the 

 base ; a yellow blotch containing a slender curved brown line, on the dorsum at about one-fourth, 

 forming the end of another extremely broken transverse line ; the reniform is large, finely outlined 

 with brown towards the base of the wing and half filled in with yellow toivards the termen ; between 

 the reniform and the dorsum there is a jagged yellow transverse line ; there is a terminal series of dark 

 brown streaks and yellow spots, and the termen itself is scalloped ; the cilia are dark brown. The 

 hind-wings are pale brown, pinkish tinged ; there is an obscure terminal line ; the cilia are brownish- 

 pink. The head and thorax are dark brown, the abdomen pale brown, with the crests darker. 



MELANCHEA PELISTIS, Meyr. 

 (Mamestra pelistis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 20.) 



(Plate V., fig. 3 $ , 4 ? .) 



This species has occurred at Wellington and at Paikakariki, in the North Island. 

 In the South Island it has been found at Akaroa and Lake Coleridge. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1J inches. The fore-wings are dull ochreous more or 

 less shaded with dark reddish-brown, especially in the vicinity of the transverse lines ; there 

 are several obscure pale marks near the base ; the orbicular is grey, margined towards the dorsum 

 ^vith a conspicuous white or dull yellow crescentic line; the claviform is small, round, dull grey, 

 edged with darker; the reniform is large, darker grey, paler toivards the costa, margined with 



