II. THE NOTODONTINA. 43 



The perfect insect was found in a limestone valley at the foot of Mount Peel, 

 where it was fairly common. 



CHLOEOCLYSTIS NEEEIS, Meyr. 

 (Pasiphila nereis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 51.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 11 <?.) 



This insect has occurred at Mount Arthur, Mount Hutt, and the Humboldt 

 Eange, Lake Wakatipu, at elevations from 2,500 to 4,000 feet. 



The expansion of the wings is nearly an inch. All the wings are dusky grey with numerous 

 black and dull white, wavy transverse lines; there is often a somewhat paler area near the apex 

 of the fore-wings, and the termen of the hind-wings is slightly scalloped ; the cilia are dull white 

 barred with dark greyish-black. 



The perfect insect appears in January and February. It generally frequents cliffs 

 on mountain sides, resting with outspread wings on the dark rocky surfaces. In 

 these situations it is extremely difficult to detect, and the protective value of its 

 colouring is thus at once demonstrated. 



CHLOEOCLYSTIS DEYAS, Meyr. 



(Pasiphila dryas, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xxiii. 97.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 12 $ .) 



This species has occurred at Wellington. 



The expansion of the wings is 1 inch. The fore-wings are dull rosy-brown, traversed by 

 numerous obscure blackish transverse lines, somewhat concentrated towards the middle and forming 

 an ill-defined central band; the termen is slightly shaded with blackish, and the veins are 

 marked with dotted lines. The hind-wings are grey, tinged with rosy-brown ; there are numerous 

 very faint blackish transverse lines and the veins are marked with blackish dots. The cilia of 

 all the wings are dark grey. The termen of the hind-wings is rather irregular. 



The perfect insect appears in December and January, and is attracted by light. 

 I once took a specimen in July, but this may have been due to an exceptionally 

 mild winter. 



CHLOEOCLYSTIS SPHEAGITIS, Meyr. 



(Pasiphila sphragitis, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xx. 51.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 13 ? , 14 ? .) 



This extremely variable insect has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, 

 and at Christchurch in the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings of the male is f inch, of the female inch. The fore-wings 

 are pale ochreous; there is a narrow darker area at the base folloived by a narrow oblique pale 

 band; then a broad central band, formed of numerous oblique, wavy, brown, transverse lines, 

 next, a rather narrow curved pale band, followed by several small irregular patches on the 

 termen, sometimes forming a dark brown terminal band ; all the markings are much darker on 

 the costa, and portions of the costa, termen, and dorsum are frequently tinged with green. 

 The hind-wings are pale ochreous ; there are numerous wavy, pale brown lines on the dorsum, 

 becoming obsolete towards the costa. The termen of all the wings is edged with fine black 

 crescents. The cilia are pale ochreous barred with dark brown. 



The perfect insect may be met with from September till February, but is most 

 abundant in the early spring. It is extremely common in the Wellington Botanical 

 Gardens, frequenting the forest gullies, where numerous specimens may be easily 

 dislodged from amongst the dense undergrowth. This moth rests with expanded wings 

 on the leaves and stems of shrubs, but is extremely difficult to find in such situations, 

 the colouring of the insect causing it to closely resemble the droppings of birds. 



