PORINA. By R. Pfitzner f and M. Gaede. 
837 
P. mimica Pliilp. Similar to jocosa, but smaller, the antennae somewhat longer pectinated than in mimica. 
jocosa. Thorax brown, abdomen brownish ochreous. Forewing pale brown, dusted white. An indistinct dark 
brown median stripe from the base to % of the length of the wing encloses a few white spots: a round one 
near the base, 2 or 3 oval oblique ones at % °f the length of the wing, an irregular triangular one at 
and sometimes yet a short streak behind it. A white shadow from before the apex to the centre of the inner 
margin encloses a series of dark brown spots. A marginal row of dark, light-edged spots is sometimes absent. 
Hindwing pale brown. $: forewing dark brown, without the median stripe and the white shadow. The treble 
spot at 34 of the length of the wing is present, the lowest being the largest. An interrupted white undulate 
line extends from behind the apex to the centre of the inner margin. An indistinct row of white dots behind 
it, and white lunae at the distal margin. Hindwing pale brown. 34—38 mm. New Zealand. 
P. mairi Bull. A single specimen of this apparently remarkable New Zealand species was discovered mairi. 
by Sir Walter Bitller in the Ruahine Ranges, Wellington District in the summer of 1867, but the type was 
lost by a shipwreck in 1890, an irreparable loss. Thus we are dependent merely on the description by Bitller: 
“Expanse 5 inches (125—130 mm). Wings long, broad, forewing stretched, oviform-triangular, of a 
dull dingy brick-colour, 6 black spots terminate the veins at the distal margin, bordered by a marginal 
band of white crescents. A submarginal row of sagittate black spots and above this a series of round spots, 
the first 4 surrounded with white, the others with pale brown. Two broken black discal lines, filled with 
brown, a broad irregular band below the centre of the wing beyond the cell, composed of 3 black lines with 
a brown interspace; a triangular white spot below the cell, and a white patch at its end, traversed by two 
black crosses; 2 divergent black stripes, edged with white, in the centre of the cell, and a third stripe edged 
with dingy tortoise colour near the base; a large irregular patch, whitish-brown, below the cell-end, bordered 
by an interspace of 3 unequally shaped blotches which together form almost the sides of a large triangle. Two 
small spots at the base. Hindwing greyish, turning browner at the distal margin, traversed by 8 interrupted 
black streaks.” 
According to Hudson, this species is presumably the host of the fungus Cordiceps robertsii, not Ch. 
virescens-, as it was supposed, which lives only in trunks, never in the ground. The larvae of Borina live 
underground. Infected by the parasitic fungus, they dry out, while the fungus grows in a long stalk to the 
surface of the earth where it projects with its clubby end. If this parasite were allied just to Borina mairi, 
the mysterious fact that the conspicuous species was never discovered again might be explained by its 
extinction caused by the fungal disease. — According to Philpott (1906), B. dinodes is the real host of the 
Cordiceps. He considers it possible, however, that also other species are infected. 
P. enysii Btlr. (77a, 74 e). Both sexes 60—80 mm. Forewing dark orange brown, marbled lighter enysii. 
and darker, a very variable number of white, black-edged spots. Hindwing reddish-brown, reddish ochreous 
towards the apex. Very variable. December-January in forests. On the trunks of fern-trees, but difficult 
to discover; it conies also to the light. New Zealand, northern island. Rather rare. 
P. minus Huds. is distinguished by its very small size (32 mm). Forewing dark yellowish-brown. Two minus. 
rather large white basal spots, two rows of white spots parallel to the distal margin, the exterior row not 
reaching the apex. The spot between veins 6 and 7 is very long. Hindwing pale yellowish-brown. Head 
and thorax dark brown, very hairy. Abdomen paler. New Zealand (Ophir). 
P. characterifera Wkr. (= impleta Wkr.) (77 a). About 75—80 mm. Forewing dull yellow, marbled characteri- 
black. Two coherent indistinct spots at the inner margin. Hindwing dark purple brown, fringe yellow, spotted 
brown. Head and thorax dull yellow, watered dull white. Abdomen dark purple brown, a yellow apical tuft. 
New Zealand, northern island (Aukland, Kaitoki, Wellington). October-December. Very rare, in wooded 
districts. 
P. annulata Hamilt. 50 mm. Recognizable especially by the black abdominal rings. Wings semi- annulaia. 
diaphanous, forewing brownish-grey, irregularly covered with markings, chiefly ochreous spots, intermixed 
with smaller white marks. Hindwing brownish-grey, few yellowish spots in the apex. All the wings with 
dark reddish-brown fringes, relatively longer than in B. cervinata. Head and thorax yellowish-brown. Ab¬ 
domen pale yellowish-grey with 7 or 8 black rings. New Zealand. Mt. Aurum, Stony Creek, 4000 ft. Flying 
around bushy places amid Gentianae. 
P. cervinata Wkr. (= fuliginea Btlr., vexata Wkr., Pielus veristaris Gn.) (74 e). About 45—50 mm. cervinata. 
Very variable from blackish-brown to dull yellow, a dark discal stripe and an undulate dark line near the 
costa. A few indistinct rings and spots. Common throughout New Zealand, especially in the Manawatu 
District. The figure belongs to a particularly pale form from Mt. Arthur. Imago in October; it likes to come 
to the light. 
