Meyrick. — On New Zealand Micro-Lepidoptera. 11 



with 12 veins, 8 and 9 stalked, 11 coalescing with 12 before costa. Hind- 

 wings with 8 veins, 5 from above angle of cell, 6 moderately approximated 

 to 7, 7 and 8 stalked, cell closed. 



A very distinctly characterized genus, of the general type of Thinasolia, 

 but with vein 11 of the forewings running into 12 before reaching costa, 

 vein 5 of the hindwings rising from the transverse vein above the angle of 

 cell, and the hindmargin of forewings twice indented above middle. The 

 venation of all the New Zealand ' species is perfectly constant. Three 

 species have been described from South America, and one from Australia ; 

 nine are here given, so that the genus apparently reaches its maximum of 

 development in New Zealand. The species are all rather small insects, 

 with broadly triangular forewings, generally rather elegantly marked, the 

 markings consisting typically of two slender transverse lines, a white or 

 metallic discal spot, and generally three black spots on lower part of hind 

 margin. The larva feeds in moss. The imagos are often overlooked, and 

 probably many more will be discovered. 



The species here described may be thus distinguished : — 



A. Discal spot obsolete .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1. pyrsophanes, 



B. „ ,, distinct 



1. Discal spot black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. elaina. 



2. „ ,, wholly white 



a. Hindwings dark fuscous . . . . .. . . . . . . . 8. helioctypa. 



b. „ grey or white 



i. Discal spot with three projecting teeth . . . . . . 3. astrosema. 



ii. ,, ,, ,, one projecting tooth 



* Hindwings grey . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. lepidella. 



** ,, clear white .. .. .. .. ..5. leucoxantha. 



3. Discal spot more or less leaden-metallic 



a. Hindwings white . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. metallifera. 



b. „ grey 



i. First transverse line strongly dentate above inner 



margin . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. chrysochyta. 



ii. ,, , ,, „ regularly curved .. .. ..7. auriscriptella. 



1. Dipt, pyrsophanes, n. sp. 

 Male, female. — 131-16 mm. Head ochreous or brownish - ochreous. 

 Palpi light yellowish-ochreous, externally more brownish. Antennae dark 

 fuscous. Thorax rather dark purplish-fuscous. Abdomen dark purplish- 

 fuscous, with a light yellowish ring near base. Legs clear whitish-ochreous. 

 Forewings triangular, very broad posteriorly, costa very gently arched, apex 

 rounded, hindmargin oblique, indentations moderately deep ; ochreous- 

 brown, almost wholly suffused with dark purplish-fuscous except narrowly 

 along hindmargin and more broadly at apex and anal angle, and finely 

 irrorated with grey, especially towards costa and disc beyond middle ; a 



