70 NEW ZEALAND MACBO-LEPIDOPTEBA. 



close together ; there is a series of irregular blotches near the termen, and the termen itself is 

 broadly edged with black near the apex of the wing, and narrowly near the tornus. The cilia of 

 all the wings are bluish-grey, barred with dusky black. 



The perfect insect appears in January and February, and frequents bare rocky 

 situations on the mountains, at elevations of from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. On one 

 occasion I met with this species very plentifully, though in poor condition, on Mount 

 Peel, near Mount Arthur; but subsequent visits have led me to think that, as a rule, 

 it is rather a scarce species. The bluish-grey colouring of the fore-wings affords 

 this moth a most efficient protection from enemies, whilst resting on the rocky 

 ground which it always frequents. 



Apart from special characters, the fainter colouring of this insect will at once 

 distinguish it from any of the numerous allied species. 



DASYUEIS PAETHENIATA, Gn. 



(Dasyuris partheniata, Gn., B. M. M. v. 93 ; Meyr., Trans. N. Z. Inst. xvi. 92.) 

 (Plate VIII., fig. 30 <? , 31 $ .) 



This bright-looking species has occurred at Wellington in the North Island, and 

 at Mount Arthur and Mount Hutt in the South Island. 



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

 the base is speckled with black and dull green scales ; there is a rather indistinct band at about 

 one-third; a broad wavy dark brown band a little beyond the middle, with a projection towards 

 the termen, followed by a clear space and another broad irregular dark transverse band; the 

 termen is broadly bordered with dark brown, which is often almost continuous with the 

 last-named transverse band. The hind-wings are bright orange; there is a large speckled area 

 near the base edged with a curved black line, followed by a clear space, and an interrupted dark 

 brown transverse line considerably beyond the middle ; the termen is rather narrowly edged with 

 a dark brown line, wavy towards the base of the wing. The cilia of all the wings are yellow 

 barred with black. 



The species varies considerably in the extent of the dark markings, especially on the fore-wings. 



The egg is oval and white, without sculpture. 



The young larva, which is very attenuated, has sixteen legs. Its colour is pale yellowish- 

 brown above, and dull ochreous beneath. The food-plant is unknown. 



The perfect insect appears from October till March, and frequents open, grassy 

 situations. At Wellington, during October and November, it is common on the cliffs 

 close to the shores of Cook's Strait, flying very rapidly on hot, sunny days, which 

 renders its capture very difficult in such steep situations. Mr. Fereday's specimens 

 were obtained amongst the tussock grass at the foot of Mount Hutt. The insect was 

 also found plentifully on the slopes of Mount Arthur, at an elevation of about 4,500 

 feet above the sea-level, and also on the Tararua Range in the North Island. 



DASYUEIS HECTOEI, Butl. 



(Euclidia hectori, Butl., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1877, 387, pi. xlii. 4. Statira Jicctori, Meyr., Trans. 

 N. Z. Inst. xvi. 91. Stathmonyma hectori, ib. xviii. 184.) 



(Plate VIII., fig. 32.) 



This very striking species has occurred in the South Island at Mount Arthur, 

 Mount Hutt, and Ben Lomond, Lake Wakatipu. 



The expansion of the wings is 1 inches. All the wings are dark greyish-black, speckled 

 ivith bluish-grey scales. The fore-wings have five rather indistinct wavy darker transverse lines, 

 and a very broad darker shading near the termen ; there is a fine white mark near the apex, 

 continued as an indistinct wavy line towards the tornus. The hind-wings have three or four 



