22 NEW ZEALAND MACRO-LEPIDOPTERA. 



MELANCHEA OMICEON, n. sp. 

 (Plate V., fig. 42.) 



This species was discovered at Wellington by Mr. A. Norris. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1 inches. The fore-wings are pale olive-green, mottled 

 and striped with dull grey ; there is a double transverse line near the base, another at about one- 

 fourth, and another at about one-half, passing between the orbicular and the reniform ; beyond 

 this there are two indistinct shaded lines, and a terminal series of black marks ; the orbicular 

 is large, almost circular, and sharply outlined in black ; the claviform is small and indistinct, and 

 the reniform ill-defined, obscurely outlined in black towards the base. The hind-wings are 

 brownish-grey, darker towards the termen. 



The perfect insect appears in November. 



MELANCHEA COMPOSITA, Gn. 



(Cloantha composita, Gn., Noct. vi. 114. Auchmis composita, Walk., Noct. 616; Butl., Voy. Ereb., 

 pi. ix. 12. Mamestra maori, Feld., Eeis. Nov., pi. cix. 24. Leucania dentigera, Butl. Mamestra composita, 

 Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 22.) 



(Plate V., fig. 8 $, 9 2 ; Plate III., fig. 7, larva.) 



One of the most abundant of our night-flying moths, occurring in great profusion 

 throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is about \\ inches. The fore-wings are pale reddish-brown, 

 darker towards the middle. There are two elongate, pointed, white markings touching the 

 termen below the middle, and a central white streak, interrupted in the middle, by a small 

 semicircular white mark, which represents the lower portion of the reniform spot ; the orbicular 

 and claviform spots are obsolete. The hind-wings are dark grey. The head and thorax are 

 reddish-brown, and the abdomen is dark grey. The antennae are serrate in the male but simple 

 in the female. In some specimens the white markings are more extensive than usual, but 

 otherwise there are no important variations. 



The larva is bright reddish-brown ; the dorsal stripe is broad and black ; the subdorsal 

 narrower, edged with white ; the lateral lines are dull red, white, and black ; the ventral surface, 

 head, legs, and prolegs are greenish-grey with black markings ; the spiracles are black. 



This caterpillar varies considerably in the intensity of the light and dark 

 markings. It feeds on grasses in January and September, and is very active. It 

 often occurs in prodigious numbers, and at such times may frequently be seen 

 travelling at a great rate over bare ground in search of food. Amongst the grass 

 it is hard to detect, as the striped colouring is very protective in that situation. 



The pupa state is spent in the earth, or under moss on fallen trees. 



The moth appears from September till April. It is double-brooded. A few of 

 the second brood emerge in the autumn and hibernate as moths, but the majority 

 pass the winter in the pupa state. Hence we sometimes meet with specimens on 

 mild evenings in the middle of winter. 



This insect is much attracted by light, and occasionally assembles in vast 

 numbers round a brilliant lamp. I have had as many as one hundred specimens 

 in my verandah at Karori, attracted during two or three hours. It is by far the 

 commonest insect at the collectors' sugar, the numerous visitors of this species 

 eagerly jostling each other in their haste to obtain a share of the sweets. 

 M. composite!, is likewise observed in the utmost profusion on attractive flowers of 

 all kinds, crowding out the rarer and more aristocratic species. Mr. Hanify has 

 drawn my attention to the remarkable habit this insect has of suddenly stopping 



