68 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Epimecis dibapha, Feld., also from Chili, is doubtless also closely allied 

 to the last species of Pasithea. 



Harpyia albicans, Walk., from South Africa, approaches nearly the 

 group of Declaim. 



If the species referred to above as probably new are really so, the 

 number of the New Zealand Geometrina at present known will be 95, 



Aet. XI.- — Descriptions of Neiv Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera. 



By E. Meybick, B.A. 

 [Bead before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 1th August, 1884.] 



IV.— SCOPAEIAM. 



This family occupies an unusually prominent position in New Zealand, and 

 the principal genera attain here their maximum of development. The 

 development is however mainly specific, and there is no large number of 

 peculiar genera, as in some other groups. The family is undoubtedly of 

 very ancient type, and the food of the larvae, which probably consists wholly 

 of mosses, will allow of a possible origin earlier in time than the appearance 

 of flowering plants. It is probably due to this persistence of habit that the 

 type has undergone so little generic modification ; specific change being 

 sufficient to allow of all the adaptation required. The distribution of the 

 family seems chiefly limited by the suitability of the climate for the growth 

 of their food-plants ; hence they are found principally in cool temperate 

 latitudes, or at considerable elevations. 



As I have elsewhere pointed out, the oldest form of the family is 

 probably Nyctarcha, which is a singular synthetic type. Xeroscopa is an 

 early off-shoot from Scoparia, and Tetraprosopus a development of Xeroscopa. 



Owing to the small range of colour, and great similarity of markings, 

 which are moreover in most of the species more or less confused and ill- 

 defined, being composed of black, white, and grey scales variously blended, 

 the group is a difficult one either to study or to describe. In order to make 

 this monograph more comprehensive, I have therefore included all the 

 Australian species of Scoparia, Tetraprosopus, and Xeroscopa (which are, 

 however, much less numerous than those from New Zealand), indicating 

 them by an asterisk (*) as not occurring in New Zealand. No species of 

 the family is common to both regions. The Australian species of Nyctarcha 

 and Eclipsiodes, which I have already described elsewhere, and which are 

 moreover very distinct from anything occurring in New Zealand, I have 

 not thought it necessary to include. 



