II. THE NOTODONTINA. 47 



HYDEIOMENA GOBIATA, Feld. 



(C id aria gobiata, Feld. cxxxi. 2. Phibalapteryx simulans, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 506. Phibalapteryx 

 unditlifera, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 506. Phibalapteryx angnligera, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 507. Phibalapteryy 

 rioularis, Butl., Cist. Ent. ii. 507. Scotosia yobiata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 70. Cepfialissa gobiata, 

 ib. xviii. 184.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 43 ?, 44 ? .) 



This insect has occurred plentifully at Wanganui and Wellington in the North 

 Island, and is generally distributed throughout the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is from 1 to 1J inches. All the wings vary from pale ochreous to 

 rather dull yellowish brown, sometimes very slightly tinged with green. There is usually a large 

 number of fine, slightly waved, oblique lines arranged on both pairs of wings, very like the markings 

 in Venusia verriculata (see page 53), both insects evidently having acquired this style of colouring for 

 similar protective purposes. In many specimens the whole of the anterior portion of the fore-wings, 

 a small area at the base of the hind-wings, and a band near the termen are much paler in colour than 

 the rest. There is usually a very oblique elongate pale area near the apex, and an irregular dark spot 

 considerably below the apex. The outline of all the wings is more or less distinctly scalloped. 



The larva (according to Mr. Purdie *) is about 1 inch in length, greyish-brown, with 

 a rough prominent dorsal tubercle about the ninth segment. There are sometimes other 

 smaller tubercles. It feeds on various species of Coprosoma in January, March, and May. 



The perfect insect appears from October till March, and generally frequents rather 

 open country where Manuka and Cabbage Tree Palms are abundant. 



HYDEIOMENA PEIONOTA, Meyr. 

 (Arsinoe prionota, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 73. Anachloris prionota, Meyr., ib. xviii. 184.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 47.) 



This species has been taken in the South Island at Mount Arthur, Castle Hill and 

 Dunedin. 



The expansion of the wings is rather under 1J inches. The fore- wings are dull yellowish-brown, 

 with many obscure, wavy, transverse, brown lines, which tend to form two ill-defined bands, one rather 

 narrow near the base and the other much broader near the middle of the wing. The hind-wings are 

 very pale yellowish-broion ; there are a few obscure dark lines near the dorsum. The veins are 

 distinctly dotted in black, and the outline of all the wings is deeply scalloped. 

 The perfect insect appears in January, but is not common. 



HYDEIOMENA DELTOIDATA, Walk. 



(Coremia deltoidata, Walk. 1321. Cidaria inclarata, Walk. 1411. Cidaria perductata, Walk. 1412. 

 Cidaria congressata, Walk. 1412. Cidaria conversata, Walk. 1413. Cidaria descriptata, Walk. 1414. 

 Cidaria bisignata, Walk. 1415. Cidaria aggregata, Walk. 1415. Cidaria congregata, Walk. 1415. Cidaria 

 plagifurcata, Walk. 1416. Coremia pastinaria, Gn., E. M. M. v. 64. Cidaria inopiata, Feld. cxxxii. 3. 

 Cidaria monoliata, Feld. cxxxii. 8. Cidaria perversata, Feld. cxxxii. 14, 24. Scotosia deltoidata, Meyr., Trans. 

 N. Z. Inst. xvi. 70. Cephalissa deltoidata, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xviii. 184.) 



(Plate VII., figs. 1 to 9 varieties.) 



This pretty insect is extremely abundant throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings varies from 1 to If inches. The fore-wings vary from brownish- 

 black to dull orange-brown ; there is a small darker area near the base, then two pale whitish wavy 

 transverse lines, then a broad darker central band, often containing within it a still darker central 

 band, bounded by two wavy black transverse lines ; beyond the central band there are nearly always 

 two or three pale brown or whitish, wavy, transverse lines, then an interrupted line just before the 

 termen, and a short oblique whitish line below the apex ; there is a black dot a little above the centre 

 of the wing, and a white dot on the termen near the middle. The hind-wings are yellowish-brown, 

 with several wavy, transverse lines near the dorsum ; there is a series of fine crescentic black lines on 

 the termen of both fore- and hind-wings. 



* N, Z, ' Journal oi Science,' July, 1884, 



