TAUMARANUI 
457 
*Morrisonia, taken in the train at Ngaruawahia on February 8th. 
Most of the New Zealand Noctuids are extremely variable, and 
*lf. chlorodonta would appear to be no exception to the rule. Whereas 
in this specimen the base, the stigmata, the area just below the latter, 
and the subterminal line were all olive-green during life, the first 
specimen taken had the margins of the stigmata and the subterminal 
line white. 
The next day I walked round the place, and passing the first 
pumice-stone quarry that I had ever come across went up on to the 
bluff that overlooks the little town. A worn Chloridea obsoleta was 
caught flying wildly in the sun. Anachloris subochraria recalled 
our Yellow Shell both in colour and ways, but was not common. 
I picked up a stray * Or ambus sublicellus. A small white-flowered 
tree, *Hoheria sp., which reminded me of the Nova Scotian Snowy 
Mespilus (Amelanchier sp.), had attractive blossoms at which were 
both * Chrysophanus sallustii and *feredayi, together with a Bee and a 
pair of Flies, Odontomyia Moris, White, having the abdomen green at 
the sides and a paler green beneath, besides a number of the spiny, 
bronze-black Weevils, *Scolopter us penicillatus. In the valley, between 
the bluff and the railway *Pyrameis gonerilla was flying in some 
numbers about and around its food-plant, the formidable shrubby 
Nettle, * TJrtica ferox, Forst., on which plant I also took *Crambus 
flexuosellus. 
About the town the little AcidaliaASks Emmiltis rubraria was 
everywhere to be seen; on every piece of rough grass between the 
houses and the river it simply swarmed; never do I remember to 
have seen any Geometer in such abundance. Though it came freely 
to light, it must be to some extent a day-flyer, since I saw it feeding 
in the afternoon sunshine on the flowers of Ragwort by the roadside, 
and on those of the Canadian Golden-rod ( Solidago sp.) in gardens. As 
might have been expected *Deilemerct annulata was to be seen on the 
same flowers. I should not be surprised if this Golden-rod were to 
naturalize itself and add one more to the many statutory noxious 
weeds. 
Some lush meadows by the river were so full of flowers, especially 
the introduced Musk ( Mimulus moschatus), that I felt sure they 
must harbour many insects, but the fact did not bear out the forecast. 
Beyond the aforesaid Geometer, plenty of New Zealand’s Common 
Blue, some Dragon-flies, *Lestes colensonis, and a number of the 
familiar little Syrphid, Melanostoma mellinum, Linn., 1 the land seemed 
to be singularly barren. 
1 This I should take to be an introduced species. Among my specimens was a 
