Meyeick. — On Xew Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera. 35 



A striking feature is the extreme variability of most of the species. Of 

 those of which I possess sufficiently extensive series to form any judgment, 

 two-thirds are highly inconstant in colouring, and frequently also in size. 

 By a careful selection of types, and exclusion of intermediate forms, some 

 of these, such as Aclox. conclitana and Pad. obliquana, could easily be made 

 to do duty as a dozen species in the estimation of those who had not 

 observed them at large, and, in fact, to this variability is due in part the 

 large number of synonyms attached to them. It would seem from this, (in 

 conjunction with the fact that such larva? as are known are mostly poly- 

 phagous, and have readily adapted themselves to introduced European 

 plants), that there have been no sufficient causes in operation to fix special 

 types ; it is possible that this may be in some measure due to the broken 

 character of the fauna, and absence of closely allied species. It has also 

 occurred to me, that, considering the very large number of new stations 

 available for these insects on European plants, which have very rarely 

 introduced any of their own Lepidoptera with them, and considering also the 

 great pliability of character evidenced by the variability of colouring and 

 larval habit, we have here every natural facility offered for the production 

 of new species. It is very desirable that attention should be directed to this 

 at once, since the process could only be detected by careful and continuous 

 observation. 



Some species were v/rongly classified in my paper cited above, owing in 

 most instances to the want of material for a proper examination, my New 

 Zealand specimens there described having been all obtained in a month's 

 tour. I have given descriptions here of all the species, in order to afford a 

 sufficient base of operations for the New Zealand student, without other 

 works ; but in the case of species which I have already described elsewhere, 



I have not given quite the amount of detail which is necessary in a first 

 description. 



TOETEICINA. 

 Head rather rough ; ocelli present ; tongue short (rarely obsolete). 

 Antennse short. Maxillary palpi absent. Labial palpi rather stout, more 

 or less porrected. Wings usually broad. Forewings with 12 veins (rarely 



II or 10, by coalescense of 7 and 8, and further of 3 and 4), 7 and 8 

 sometimes stalked, rest separate, vein 1 furcate at base (rarely one fork 

 obsolete). Hindwings with 8 veins (sometimes 7 by coalescence of 3 

 and 4), 3 and 4 often stalked, sometimes separate, 6 and 7 often 

 stalked. 



Fam 1.— TORTRICID,E. 

 Lower median vein of hindwings without basal pectination ; vein 2 of 

 forewings rising before posterior third of lower margin of cell. 



