'48 NEW ZEALAND MACRO-LEPIDOPTEEA. 



This species is extremely variable, but may generally be recognised by a careful 

 scrutiny of the above-named characters. One very striking variety occasionally met with 

 has the central band of the fore-wing completely divided in the middle, which thus forms 

 two dark patches, one on the costa, and one on the dorsum. (See Plate VII., figs. 7 and 

 8.) A further development of this variety, of which I have only seen one example, taken 

 by Mr. Hawthorne at Springfield, Canterbury, and now in his collection, has only the 

 costal patch present, the whole of the lower portions of the band being completely 

 obliterated.* (See Plate VII., fig. 9.) The minor varieties are too numerous to specify. 



The larva feeds on grasses. When full-grown its length is about 1 inch. The 

 colour is dark brown, with the skin very much wrinkled. It is sluggish in its habits, and 

 lives through the winter, becoming full-grown about the end of September. During 

 severe weather it generally seeks refuge from the elements amongst the stalks and roots of 

 the rank herbage often surrounding stones or fallen logs. 



The pupa is concealed in the earth. 



The perfect insect appears early in January, and continues in the utmost profusion 

 until the middle or end of March. It may often be seen resting with the wings folded 

 backwards and forming together a triangle, whence the moth has probably derived its 

 name of deltoidata. In the neighbourhood of Wellington I have observed that this insect 

 has very much decreased in numbers during the last ten or fifteen years. 



HYDEIOMENA HEMIZONA, Meyr. 

 (Hydriomena hemizona, Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1897, 385.) 



(Plate VII., fig. 10.) 



This insect has occurred at Terawhiti in the North Island, and at Mount Arthur in 

 the South Island. 



The expansion of the wings is about If inches. The fore-wings are blackish-brown, darker 

 towards the apex and termen ; there is an obscure rust-red wavy band near the base, and another at 

 three-fourths, considerably bowed towards the termen at the middle; there are also numerous wavy 

 darker lines. The hind-wings are dull grey, and the termen is slightly scalloped. 



This species may be distinguished from any of the varieties of H. deltoidata by its 

 narrower wings, and the absence of any distinct central band on the fore-win(js. 

 The perfect insect appears in January. It is a scarce species. 



HYDKIOMENA SUBOCHEAEIA, Dbld. 



(Aspilatcs (?) subochraria, Dbld., Dieff. N. Z. ii. 285. Camptogramma stibochraria, Butl., Cat., pi. iii. 16. 

 Camptogramma strangulata, Gn. x. 423. Camptogramma fuscinata, Gn., E. M. M. v. 92. Arsinoe subochraria, 

 Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 73. Anachloris subochraria, Meyr., ib. xviii. 184.) 



(Plate VI., figs. 45 and 46 varieties.) 



This species is fairly common and generally distributed throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1 inches. The fore-wings are bright ochreous-yellow ; there 

 s a brown dot a little above the middle, and a dark brown transverse band at about three-fourths ; 

 the termen is shaded with dark brown. The hind-wings are ochreous, with an obscure central trans- 

 verse line. 



A variety (Hydriomena fuscinata, Gn.) often occurs in which the whole of the wings are more or 

 less tinged with purplish-brown (Plate VI., fig. 46). 



The perfect insect appears from November till April. It chiefly frequents tussock 

 country and swampy situations. In the Wellington district it is extremely abundant in 



* A second specimen of this variety has since occurred in the neighbourhood of Nelson, 



