I. THE CAEADEININA. 33 



The moth appears in January and February. It often flies by day, and may then 

 be seen disporting itself amongst the flowers of the Scotch thistle. Its larva may also 

 be found feeding on these flowers. 



This insect is practically cosmopolitan ; it has occurred in the following countries : 

 Australia, Samoa, India, Ceylon, Madagascar, Africa, Europe, North and South 

 America.* 



Genus 12. COSMODES, Gn. 



" Eyes naked. Antennae in male filiform, shortly ciliated. Thorax with strong transverse 

 anterior and posterior crests. Abdomen strongly crested towards base. Hind-wings with veins 

 6 and 7 short-stalked." (Meyrick.) 



We have only one species in New Zealand. 



COSMODES ELEGANS, Don. 



(Phalcena clcgans, Don. Ins. N. H. Cosmodcs clegans, Gn., Noct. vi. 290 ; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 35.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 2.) 



This beautiful species has occurred at Napier and Ohau in the North Island. In 

 the South Island it has been taken at Christchurch and Governor's Bay. 



The expansion of the wings is 1J inches. The fore-wings are rich orange-brown, with four 

 large green spots margined with silver ; there is a curved silvery mark near the apex. The hind-wings 

 are pale yellow, shaded with orange-brown towards the termen ; the cilia are pale orange-brown 

 mixed with white. 



The perfect insect appears in March and April. 



Mr. Meyrick states that it occurs commonly in Eastern Australia.! 



Family 3. PLUSIADJE. 



The Plusiadce are characterized as follows : 



" Ocelli usually distinct. Tongue well developed. Posterior tibise with all spurs present. Fore- 

 wings with veins 7 and 8 usually out of 9, 10 usually connected with 9. Hind-wings with veins 

 3 and 4 connate or short-stalked, 5 well developed, 6 and 7 connate or short-stalked or seldom closely 

 approximated only, 8 shortly anastomosing with cell near base, thence evenly diverging." (See 

 Plate II., figs. 14 to 18.) 



" This family is by no means very prominent in temperate regions, but within 

 the tropics it assumes immense proportions, and is there, probably, the most abundant 

 family of the Lepidoptera. There is much greater diversity of size, colour, and form 

 than in the Caradrinidce, and also more variation in structure, though this remains 

 more uniform than usual. Imago with fore-wings usually relatively broader and less 

 elongate than in the Caradrinidce, body often more slender. 



" Ovum spherical, more or less reticulated, often also ribbed. Larva with few 

 hairs, sometimes with prolegs on segments 7 and 8 absent or rudimentary. Pupa 

 usually in a cocoon above the ground." (Meyrick.) 



The family is represented in New Zealand by the following four genera : 



Sub-family 1. HYPENIDES 1. HYPENOUES. 



I 2. PLUSIA. 



Sub-family 2. PLUSIADES 3. DASYPODIA. 



I 4. EHAPSA. 



* Meyrick, Trans. N. Z. lust. xix. 35. t Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 35. 



