﻿TOUR ON THE TABLE-LAND OP MOUNT ARTHUR. 11 



Notoreas paradelpha, Harmologa latomana, and Tauroscopa gor- 

 gopis. Two specimens of Erebia pluto were taken on a patch 

 of shingle at about 4200 ft., but this must be regarded as an 

 exceptionally low elevation for the species. 



On arriving at the top of the Pyramid a long descent is made 

 to reach the Mount Arthur range proper, and it is here that 

 probably the best collecting on the table-land is to be found. 

 Metacrias erichrysa was frequently seen dancing about in the hot 

 sunshine, and extremely difficult to catch. Two other Bombyces 

 were also obtained, which are not yet identified ; but any moths 

 belonging to the group are of extreme interest, owing to the 

 singular absence of its members from the fauna of the lowlands 

 in New Zealand. High up, at about 4800 ft., Stathmonyma 

 anceps was found, the dark grey fore wings harmonising 

 admirably with the rocks on which it perches, besides specimens 

 of Orocrambus mylites and catacaustus. These insects occurred 

 up to the extreme top of the mountain, as well as Erebia plecto, 

 which was very abundant on the shingle-flats above 5000 ft. I 

 must confess that the ascent of the last 800 ft. of the mountain 

 considerably alarmed me, although no doubt the dangers are 

 nothing in the eyes of more experienced climbers. 



On the top we discovered the names of previous visitors 

 during the half-hour spent there, and noticed numerous speci- 

 mens of Erebia pluto and E. orocrambus, so I am disposed to 

 think that their range of elevation would be considerably more 

 extended on a higher mountain ; but, of course, this is a matter 

 for future observation. Above 5000 ft. the only common plant 

 is a fine wiry grass, which I conjecture is the food-plant of 

 these insects. The discovery of the larva of Erebia pluto would 

 be of excessive interest, and the insect might probably be reared 

 by anyone who was able to spend two or three months on the 

 table-land, as I think the females would readily lay their eggs in 

 captivity if the young larvae could not be found. An accurate 

 record of the times of appearance of these alpine insects would 

 also be extremely valuable, which, of course, could only be 

 obtained by a naturalist residing on the table-land during the 

 whole summer. 



During the descent numerous stoppages were made to obtain 

 insects, Erebia pluto continuing extremely abundant until we 

 left the shingle and snow. Lower down a few Coleoptera were 

 obtained by beating spear-grass blossoms, but the Lepidoptera 

 absorbed most of our attention. It was curious to make the 

 acquaintance here of Dasyuris partheniata, a species found on 

 the cliffs above the Hermit's Cave, Wellington, but nowhere, as 

 far as I know, on the sea-level in the Nelson Province. "When 

 the top of Gordon's Pyramid was again reached at six o'clock, I 

 was startled to see a conspicuous black insect flying about, which 



