I. THE CARADRININA. 37 



small crescentic marks is situated on the termen ; the cilia are dark greyish-ochreous. The antenna 

 of the male are strongly bipectinated. The female is considerably darker, the markings are less distinct 

 and numerous, and there is no black blotch between the orbicular and the reniform. 



Some male specimens are much paler in colour than others, but with this exception there does 

 not appear to be any important variation. 



The eggs are round, flattened above, bright green, becoming dull purplish about two days after 

 being laid. 



The young larva when first emerged is about |- inch in length ; the head is brown ; the body 

 dull white, with a series of black tubercles round each segment, each tubercle emitting a tuft of 

 bristles. The larva has sixteen legs, but the two anterior pairs of ventral claspers are not employed 

 in walking, the caterpillar's mode of progression, consequently, resembling that of a larva with twelve 

 legs only. The food-plant is Piper excelsum. 



The perfect insect appears from September till April, and is very common amongst 

 undergrowth in the forest. It is seldom found in the daytime, but at night it is extremely 

 abundant in densely wooded situations. It flies in a very stealthy manner, and may 

 soon be recognised on the wing by this feature alone. When disturbed it always secretes 

 itself amongst dead fern fronds or other vegetable refuse, where its sombre colour 

 effectually conceals it. 



The costal fold on the under side of the fore-wing of the male contains a very large 

 tuft of extremely long hairs. It probably emits a scent agreeable to the female. 



EHAPSA OCTIAS. Meyr. 



(Hyperaucha octias, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1897, 383.) 

 (Plate VI., fig. 7.) 



This interesting little species has recently occurred in some numbers in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Wellington. I have no record at present of its capture in any other New 

 Zealand locality. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The fore-wings have the costa straight, and the 

 termen with a large projection slightly above the middle ; the colour is pale brown ; there is a broad 

 dark brown patch on the costa at the base, a jagged transverse line at about one-fourth, a very broad, 

 oblique, blackish-brown, oblong patch on the costa at about one-third ; beyond this patch is situated the 

 reniform which is very large, indented towards the termen where it is outlined in dark brown ; there is 

 a very fine jagged transverse line from beneath the reniform to the dorsum ; a large irregular patch of 

 dark brownish-black just before the apex, and an obscure transverse line ; there is a series of minute, 

 dark brown, crescentic marks on the terrnen. The hind-wings are dull whitish-grey ; there is a faint 

 blackish dot in the middle, a wavy line a little below the middle, and a terminal series of small dark 

 marks. The antennae are filiform in both sexes. 



The perfect insect appears in October, November and December. It frequents dense 

 forest ravines, and is generally disturbed from amongst dead leaves or old fern fronds. 

 It is usually a very scarce species, but appears to be much commoner in some years than 

 in others. According to Mr. Meyrick, it is also found in Australia. 



This species is placed by Mr. Meyrick in the genus Rhapsa. The simple antennae 

 and absence of the broad costal fold in the males would appear, however, to remove it 

 from that genus, as restricted by him in the 'Transactions' of the New Zealand Institute, 

 xix. 38. In all other respects it appears to conform to the genus.* 



* Since this was written I find that Mr. Meyrick has created a new genus, Hyperaucha, for the reception of this 

 insect. See ' Transactions of the Entomological Society of London,' 1897, 383. 



