(38) 



II. THE NOTODONTINA. 



The Notodontina are characterized as follows : 



" The maxillary palpi are obsolete. Fore-wings with vein Ib usually furcate, but with lower 

 fork often weak or tending to be obsolete, 5 rising not nearer to 4 than to G, parallel, 7 and 8 out 

 of 9. Hind-wings almost always with frenulum, Ic absent. (Plate II., figs. 19 to 64, and Plate I., 

 figs. 12 and 13.) 



" Imago with fore-wings more or less broad-triangular ; hind-wings broad-ovate." (Meyrick.) 



Larva (in New Zealand) generally with 10 or 12 legs only (Plate III., figs. 12, 17, 18/19, 20, 

 21, 22, and 24), rarely with 16 (Sphinx, PI. III., figs. 13 and 14). 



" Pupa with segments 9 to 11 free ; not protruded from cocoon in emergence." (Meyrick.) 



This is a very extensive group of the Lepidoptera, and so far as it is represented 

 in New Zealand is equivalent to that group formerly known as the Geometrina, with the 

 addition of the family Spliingidce. The insects here included comprise many of our 

 most interesting, abundant, and beautiful species. Some of them are so extremely 

 variable that it is often a matter of considerable difficulty to determine the most conve- 

 nient points on which to base the specific distinctions ; although fortunately great 

 advances have been made in this direction of late years owing to the increase in the 

 number of workers, and the consequent accumulation of available material. In con- 

 nection with this portion of the subject, special mention should be made of Mr. Meyrick's 

 paper on the group, which appeared in the ' Transactions ' of the New Zealand 

 Institute for 1883. This essay has been of the greatest value in dispelling the doubts 

 which formerly existed respecting the limits of many of the most variable species. 



The Notodontina are represented in New Zealand by the six following families : 



1. HYDBIOMENID^;. 4. ORTHOSTIXID.E. 



2. STEBHHID^E. 5. SELIDOSEMIME. 



3. MONOCTENIAD^:. 6. SPHINGIDjE. 



Family 1. HYDRIOMENID^. 



The Hydriomenidae are thus characterized : 



"Tongue well developed. Fore-wings with vein 10 rising separate; anastomosing with 11 

 and 9 (forming double areole) , or rising out of 11 and anastomosing with 9 (forming simple areole) . 

 Hind-wings with vein 5 fully developed, parallel to 4, 6, and 7 almost always stalked or connate, 8 

 anastomosing with upper margin of cell from near base to beyond middle, or sometimes approximated 

 only and connected by a bar or shortly anastomosing beyond middle." (Plate II., figs. 19 to 43.) 



" A very large family distributed in equal plenty throughout all temperate regions, 

 but becoming scarcer within the tropics. The structure is very uniform throughout, 

 and the generic distinctions slight. Imago with body slender, fore-wings usually broad. 



" Ovum broad, oval, rather flattened with usually oval reticulations. Larva elongate, 

 slender, with few hairs, without prolegs on segments 7 to 9 ; often imitating live or 

 dead twigs and shoots. Pupa usually subterranean." (Meyrick.) 



