I. THE CARADRININA. 25 



edged transverse line near the base, and a fainter transverse line at about one-third ; the orbicular 

 is oblong, the claviform crescentic, and the reniform oblong, white, and very conspicuous, all are strongly 

 outlined in black ; there is a shaded transverse line on each side of the broad pale terminal band ; 

 the termen is dark brown ; the cilia are brown, and the veins are marked in black. The hind-wings 

 are pale grey ; there is a rather conspicuous dark crescent in the middle, and two shaded transverse 

 lines ; the cilia are grey. 



This species is evidently allied to Melanchra dotata. 



MELANCHRA STIPATA, Walk. 



(Xylina stipata, Walk., Suppl. 753. Mamestra stipata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 25.) 



(Plate V., fig. 17 ? .) 



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

 South Island at Christchurch, and West Plains, near Invercargill. 



The expansion of the wings is If inches. The fore-wings are brown ; there is a shaded, pale 

 yellowish-brown, longitudinal line on the costa, and an extensive irregular patch of the same colour 

 from about two-thirds to within a short distance of the termen ; the orbicular is large, oval, oblique, 

 pale yelloivish-brown ; the claviform is semicircular, broadly margined with black ; the reniform is 

 dull grey, with one large and one small white mark towards the termen ; the termen is broadly 

 shaded with dark blackish-brown, except near the apex of the wing and a little below the middle. 

 The hind-wings are dark brownish-grey, with the cilia reddish-brown. The female is rather paler 

 with a slightly olive tinge. Both sexes vary a little in the depth of their colouring. 



The perfect insect appears from October till May. It is common at Christchurch, 

 but rather scarce in Wellington. 



MELANCHRA OCTANS, n. sp. 

 (Plate V., fig 1.) 



This distinctly marked little species was discovered by Mr. Philpott, at Mount 

 Linton, near Invercargill. 



The expansion of the wings is If inches. The fore-wings are pale ochreous-brown ; there are 

 several wavy brown transverse lines near the base, two lines at about one-third, then a large V-shaped 

 white mark extending almost from the costa and touching the dorsum ; the orbicular and reniform 

 spots are situated in the middle of this mark, the orbicular is very finely outlined in brown, and 

 contains a black dot towards the base of the wing ; the reniform is large, dark brown, surrounded by 

 a large triangular dark brown shading ; there is an obscure subterminal line ; the termen is slightly 

 indented. The hind-wings are dark brown, paler towards the termen. 



This species may be immediately recognised by the large, white, V-shaped markings 

 on the fore-wings. 



The perfect insect appears in March. 



MELANCHRA RUBESCENS, Butl. 

 (Xylophasia rubcsccns, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 489. Mamestra rubcsccns, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 25.) 



(Plate V., fig. 18 tf.) 



This insect is apparently a mountain species. It has been taken at Mount Arthur, 

 Castle Hill, and Lake Wakatipu. 



The expansion of the wings is about If inches. The fore-wings are pale orange-brown, the 

 orbicular and claviform spots are faintly margined with reddish-brown ; the reniform is dark brown 

 and very conspicuous ; there are two large reddish-brown markings on the termen. The hind-wings 

 are dark grey tinged with red. The cilia of all the wings are reddish-brown. 



This species varies slightly in the shape and extent of the markings on the termen 



4 



