Colenso. — On newly-discovered New Zealand Insects. 157 



prothorax small ; mesothorax curved upwards and projecting shell-like over 

 prothorax, with a loose space between neck and pronotum, and a larger one 

 between prothorax and mesothorax. Legs hairy, piceous-black, with two 

 large spines (spurs) at lower end of tibiae ; femora yellow above, brown at 

 lower end; ungues long, diverging and bright red-brown. Wings iridiscent, 

 brownish, finely ciliate with dark hairs, densely reticulated, cells all shapes 

 and sizes, but more regularly rectangular on sub-median vein, and largest 

 between sub-costal and median veins, pilose with long dark and rather distant 

 hairs on all veins and bands, spotted generally with brownish dots and 

 markings, that are somewhat sub-quadrate at bands and triangular at forks 

 (and sometimes broadly so at bands), outer edges irregular and not denned, 

 the centre of the wings free of spots, also the costal cells from base to 

 stigma : anterior wings (each) 1^ inches long, 5 lines wide, sub-oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, dimidiate, much contracted at base, obtuse-pointed at tip, apex 

 inclined below ; stigma oblong, whitish-yellow (or light cream-colour) with 

 short dark hairs, a large black-brown spot at the basal end, and a brown 

 blotch opposite between sub-costal and median veins, and another blotch 

 directly opposite towards lower margin ; costal vein yellow at base and 

 gradually becoming brown ; sub-costal vein double for about two-thirds of 

 length of wing — from \ inch from base on to stigma, and without bands 

 between, — yellow with brown dashes at junction of bands, and on sub- 

 median vein below ; ante-cubitals straight, simple ; post-cubitals forked and 

 sloping, a few in the centre forming cells : posterior wings each \\ inches 

 long, 4 lines wide, sub-linear-oblong, more acute, and, less and more finely 

 spotted than anterior pair ; spots mostly triangular in forks below stigma 

 and about tips ; stigma rather large, oblong, whitish ; a brown blotch 

 opposite stigma and near the lower margin. 



Length of the body 16 lines ; of the wings extended 38 lines. 



Hob. Seventy-mile Bush, Waipawa County ; (rare, like other species 

 of the genus ; three specimens only obtained with much difficulty) ; 

 1882-83 ; W.C. 



Obs. A very elegant insect, in form, colour, iridiscence, and finely 

 hairy and ciliated wings ; in this latter respect closely approaching the next 

 sub-order Trichoptera. It seems to have some affinity with our only other 

 and little-known New Zealand species of this very large and cosmopolitan 

 genus, — M. acutus, Walker, (B.M.), — judging from description only ; but it 

 is very distinct. 



The larva is ovate, thick, fleshy, largely convex above, 6-7 lines long, 

 3 lines broad, of a reddish-grey hue, spotted with brown and black. Head 

 1 line long ; mandibles \\ lines long, curved, hairy, grooved on lower sur- 

 face, each having three large and stout curved spines on the inner margin ; 



