52 NEW ZEALAND MACRO-LEPIDOPTEBA. 



The perfect insect appears from September till March, and is sometimes common. 

 It is generally found in wooded districts, but prefers rather open situations in the 

 vicinity of streams, where its food-plant may often be seen. According to Mr. 

 Meyrick,* this insect is common in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, and 

 the Australian and New Zealand specimens are similar in appearance. 



Genus 8. ASTHENA. 



"Face smooth, flat. Antennae in <? shortly ciliated. Palpi short, slender, loosely scaled. 

 Fore-wings with areole double. Hind-wings with vein 8 anastomosing with cell to beyond middle. 

 (Plate II., figs. 30 and 31.) 



"A genus of a few widely scattered species most numerous in the Australian 

 Kegion." (Meyrick.) 



We have two species. 



ASTHENA PULCHKAEIA, Dbld. 



(Acidalia pulchraria, Dbld., Dieff. N. Z. ii. 286. Chlorochroma plurilineata, Walk. 563, 676. Asthena 

 ondinata, Gn. ix. 438, pi. xix. 4 ; Butl., Cat. pi. iii. 20. Cidaria ondinata, Feld. cxxviii. 17. Asthena 

 pulchraria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 69.) 



(Plate VI., fig. 37 $ , 38 ? .) 



This beautiful little insect has occurred at many localities throughout both the 

 North and South Islands. It is probably a common species in most wooded districts. 



The expansion of the wings is almost an inch. All the wings are very pale greenish-white with 

 numerous faint green, wavy, transverse lines. The fore-wings have a more or less distinct brown 

 band on the costal edge, and a conspicuous greenish central dot. The hind-wings often have a slight 

 projection on the termen near the middle. 



The perfect insect appears from October till May, and frequents dense forest under- 

 growth. It is chiefly attached to the Kawakawa (Piper excelsum), and may often be 

 found resting with outspread wings on the under-surfaces of the leaves of this plant, 

 where it is very inconspicuous. There are probably two or more broods during the 

 summer. 



On the llth of May, 1892, I observed large numbers of this species flying over the 

 Manuka bushes in the Wellington Botanical Gardens in brilliant moonlight. The night 

 was very cold, but notwithstanding this the moths were most numerous and active. 

 The appearance of this insect under such unusual conditions may have been quite 

 accidental, as I have never seen a recurrence ; but one is often somewhat unobservant 

 in the winter, hence the record of this observation may be of use in directing the 

 attention of others to the subject. 



According to Mr. Meyrick this species is also found in Tasmania, and South-east 

 Australia. 



ASTHENA SCHISTAEIA, Walk. 



(Acidalia schistaria, Walk. 782. Asthe.no, subpurpureata, Walk. 1588. Acidalia, tuhuata, Feld. cxxviii. 5. 



Asthena schistaria, Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 69.) 

 (Plate VI., figs. 39, 40 $ , 41, 4'2 ? varieties.) 



This pretty species is common, and generally distributed throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is nearly an inch. All the wings vary from very pale brown to 

 rather dull purplish-brown ; there are numerous jagged, darker, transverse lines forming several more 

 or less distinct bands. The first of these bands extends from the base to about one-eighth ; the 

 second, composed of only two or three lines, is situated at about one- third ; the third extends from 



* Traris. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 60. 



