﻿Motes on t^niocampa opima. 30? 



knowledge of the effects of the snowfall, or the " fohn," in certain 

 seasons, on the meteorological conditions or the flora of the 

 European Alps ; but the subject seems to me to require the 

 fullest investigation, as bearing on the occasional abundance of 

 Lepidoptera, and possibly would tend to explain the occasional 

 abundance (by migration) of certain species in the British 

 Islands : unmistakably these causes appear to be the chief factor, 

 favouring the increase of certain species in the last two seasons 

 in New Zealand. How long the renewal or increase of numbers 

 will last remains to be observed. We are, again, almost through 

 another mild winter, with light snowfall in the Southern Alps, 

 the effects of which on our Lepidoptera will receive my closest 

 attention in future. 



East Belt, Ashburton, New Zealand, August 5, 1890. 



NOTES ON TMNIOCAMPA OPIMA. 



By J. Akkle. 



Numerous inquiries, by various correspondents, during the 

 past two years, induce me to make the following observations 

 upon an insect which, although clad in sober but glossy greys, 

 I am disposed to call the Queen of the TseniocampaB. My 

 personal acquaintance with this local and beautiful moth centres 

 exclusively in its well-known habitat at Wallasey. The egg is a 

 miniature globe, with closely-set longitudinal lines "sculptured" 

 from pole to pole. The little spheres are white when fresh laid, 

 in April or May, and are clustered together on or near the tops of 

 dead stems of ragwort, thistle, or dwarf rose. Other plants and 

 shrubs may doubtless be included in this botanical list, but I 

 prefer to speak from experience. I have never found the eggs on 

 sallow, although the leaves of that plant are a favourite food in 

 confinement. In two or three days the colour of the egg changes 

 to brown. In a favourable season the batches are common 

 enough, but, in the last two springs, ova of T. opima appear to 

 have been comparatively scarce. On the 3rd of May — a beauti- 

 fully clear and sunny morning — I went early to the sandhills for 

 eggs wherewith to continue a most interesting study of this 

 favourite moth. I soon found myself in good and unexpected 

 companj'. Females of Nyssia zonaria were swinging, in the cool 

 sea-breeze, on the long bents of the maritime grass. Their eggs 

 were hidden away below in the junctions of bent and stem. 

 Dozens of Mesotype vlrgata (lineolata) , in silver-grey striped with 

 dark brown, were resting on the short bedstraw. There were 

 big violets about, with large white centres ; beds of dwarf sal- 

 lows, brilliant with yellow and odoriferous catkins ; and here and 



