IX —THE 
The expansion of the wings is 1% inches. The antennae 
are shortly ciliated. The fore-wings are warm brownish-ochreous 
irregularly sprinkled with darker brown and pale ochreous 
scales; the second line and the edges of the reniform are very 
obscurely paler; the veins are faintly marked with grey and 
white dots; there is a curved series of small whitish spots on 
the veins at about 3. The hind-wings are dark brownish-ochre- 
ous, darker towards the termen. 
The perfect insect appears in January and seems to 
be extremely rare. 
This species closely resembles the common Australian 
Dasygaster hollandiae, which is, however, a redder insect, 
without the posterior series of whitish dots. 
Described and figured from a specimen in Mr. Phil- 
pott’s collection. 
ALETIA EMPYREA. 
(Aletia empyrea, Huds., Ent. Mo. Mag., liv., 61.) 
(Plate X., fig. 14 @; 15 9.) 
This large and handsome species was discovered by 
Mr. Charles E. Clarke in the Routeburn Valley at the head 
of Lake Wakatipu at an altitude of about 2,500 feet above 
the sea-level. It has also occurred at Lake Harris and at 
Queenstown. 
The expansion of the wings is about 2 inches. The fore- 
wings of the male are rather bright bluish-grey with blackish 
markings; the basal line is distinct, strongly dentate; the first 
line has four strong projections; the claviform is very narrow, 
blackish-edged and pale centred; the orbicular is large, trapezoi- 
dal-ovate whitish; a conspicuous blackish triangular spot is situ- 
ated between the orbicular and the reniform, the reniform itself 
being very indistinct; the second line is strongly dentate and 
bent outwards above the middle; there is a series of faint black- 
ish triangular marks on the sub-terminal area, and the veins 
are irregularly marked in blackish. The hind-wings are pale 
grey, with a dark grey lunule and two cloudy grey bands. The 
female is considerably paler than the male and the markings are 
much less distinct. 
The perfect insect appears in December. 
Deseribed and figured from specimens kindly lent to 
me by Mr. Clarke. 
Genus 11—PHYSETICA, Meyr. 
Face without prominence. Antennae in male ciliated. Palpi 
in male with terminal joint greatly dilated, with orifice on outer 
side (instead of apex). Thorax clothed with hair without crests. 
Abdomen with small crest on basal segment. 
Plate C., fig. 8. Head of Physetica caeruled.) 
An endemie genus represented by a single species. 
PHYSETICA CAERULBEA. 
(Agrotis caerulea, Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 38. Physetica caerulea, 
Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 5; Physetica hudsoni, Howes, 
ib., xxxviii., 510.) 
(Plate VII., figs. 20-22 varieties.) 
This fine species has occurred in the South Island at 
Blenheim, Rakaia, Waiho Gorge, Macetown, Alexandra, 
Mataura, the Routeburn Valley, Lake Wakatipu and Ore- 
puki. 
NOCTUIDAE. 59 
The expansion of the wings is 1§ inches. The fore-wings 
are slaty-blue; there are two very, wavy blackish lines at! about 
one-third, a dark shaded line across the middle, containing the 
orbicular spot, then a very wavy line followed by a darker space 
and a wavy, dull, whitish terminal line. The hind-wings are 
dark grey, paler near the base, the cilia shining white. 
This species is extremely variable. In some specimens 
the markings are very indistinct; others have the ground 
colour of the fore-wings pale whitish-blue, whilst in others 
they are dull ochreous, specimens of every intermediate 
tint being met’ with. A magnificent series of this insect, 
taken at Macetown by Messrs. H. Hamilton and F. S. 
Oliver, is in the Dominion Museum and has furnished the 
material for the figures contained in this work. 
The perfect insect appears from October till April, 
and is much attracted by sugar. It is a very local species 
and uncertain in its appearance, but, on rare occasions and 
in restricted localities, has been met with in abundance. 
Genus 12—DIPAUSTICA, Meyr. 
Face with strong horny bifurcate process. Antennae in 
male ciliated. Thorax clothed with hair and hair scales, with 
strong triangular divided anterior crest. Abdomen with crest 
on basal segment. Anterior tarsi with spines unusually small 
and slight 
A distinct endemie genus represented by one species. 
DIPAUSTICA EPIASTRA. 
(Leucania epiastra, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xliii., 58.) 
(Plate X., fig. 4 @; Plate L., fig. 17 larva.) 
This fine insect was discovered by Mr. R. M. Suunley, 
who reared numerous specimens from larvae found at 
Makara. Stray examples of the moth have since been 
taken at Waimarino, Rangataua, several localities in the 
immediate vicinity of Wellington, Waiho Gorge and at 
Dunedin. 
The expansion of the wings is 1g inches. The fore-wings 
are pale brown with a broad, cloudy longitudinal streak, con- 
taining two white dots near the middle of the wing; there are 
numerous minute blackish specks, especially on the central area; 
two black dots indicate the position of the first line and a curved 
row of similar dots marks the second line; there is also a series 
of terminal dots. The hind-wings are dark, brownish-grey, with 
pale brown cilia tipped with white. 
Varies slightly in the extent and intensity of the dark 
central streak, and in the depth of the general ground 
colour. 
The egg is spherical, flattened at the base, and rather 
coarsely ribbed, the ribs radiating from the micropyle. The 
colour is at first uniform pale yellow, but after a few days the 
micropyle becomes dark brown and a dark-brown circle appears 
round it. 
The young larva, when first hatched, is about 4 inch in 
length, dull ochreous, with one row of black warts round the 
thoracic segments, and two rows round the abdominal segments, 
each wart emitting a stout black bristle. It eats the egg-shell 
on emergence and is very active. 
The full-grown larva is 1g inches in length, dull brownish- 
green in colour, sometimes tinged with reddish-brown, especially 
on posterior segments, The dorsal and sub-dorsal lines are very 

