Meyrick. — On New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera. 69 



As the descriptions of Walker, Knaggs, aud Butler are hardly in any 

 instance sufficiently precise for determination, I may add that the species of 

 Walker and Butler have been identified from the types, and those of Knaggs 

 from types preserved by Mr. E. W. Fereday. 



SCOPABIAD^. 



Labial palpi, with hairs of second joint produced in front beneath. 

 Maxillary palpi large, triangularly scaled, porrected, not resting on labial 

 palpi. Forewings with 7 and 10 separate from 9, 8 and 9 stalked. Hindwings 

 with 4 and 5 from a point or stalked (except in Nyctarcha) ; lower median 

 without basal pectination (except in Edipsiodes and Nyctarcha). Genital 

 uncus of male generally well developed. 



Distinguished from all the other families of tbe Pyralidina by the 

 character of the maxillary palpi, which are large, porrected, triangularly 

 dilated, and obliquely truncate, standing out apart from the labial palpi ; 

 differing also from the Crambidce (which some species closely approach in 

 type) in the absence of the basal pectination on the lower median vein of 

 the hindwings (with the exceptions noted above), from the Botydidcc in the 

 development of the genital uncus of the male, and from tbe Pyralididm by 

 the separation of vein 7 of the forewings from tbe stalk of 8 and 9. 



The following tabulation includes all the five Australian genera, of 

 which only three are represented in New Zealand. 



A. Lower median with basal pectination, 



1. Vein lb of hindwings with well-defined pectination . . . . Nyctarcha. 



2. ,, ,, ,, ,, without ,, ,, •.. „. .. Edipsiodes. 



B. Lower median naked. 



1. Discal area of hindwings above lower median with long hairs. 



a. Antenna of male moderately ciliated . . . . . . . . Xeroscopa. 



b. ,, „ „ hardly perceptibly ciliated . . . . . . Tetraprosopus. 



2. Discal area of hindwings without hairs . . . . . . . . Scoparia. 



1. Nyctarcha, Meyr. 

 Forehead vertical. Ocelli present. Tongue well developed. Antennas 

 short, less than f- of forewings, in male stout, filiform, evenly ciliated (-j—jf)' 

 above pubescent (N. atra) or rough-scaled. Labial palpi moderate, 

 straight, porrected, second joint with dense projecting scales beneath, 

 terminal joint exposed, thick, somewhat expanded towards apex, and 

 obliquely truncate. Maxillary palpi nearly as long as labial, terminally 

 expanded, truncate. Posterior tibiae with outer spurs half inner ; legs 

 short. Abdomen short, stout. Forewings with vein 11 moderately 

 oblique. Hindwings somewhat broader than forewings; 3, 4, 5 approxi- 

 mated at base; lower median and lb each with a strong pectination 

 towards base, surface otherwise without hairs. 



