IX. —THE 
PERSECTANIA COMPOSITA. 
(Cloantha composita, Guen., Noct. ii, 114; Awchmis composita, 
Walk., Noct., 616; Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix., 12; ewingi, 
Westwd., Proc. Ent. Soc., ii, 55, pl. xx. 1; aversa, Walk., 
Cat. ix., 113; Mamestra maori, Feld., Reis. Nov., pl. cix. 
24; Leucania dentigera, Butl., Cist. Ent., ii. 542; peracuta., 
Morr., Bull. Buff. Soc. Nat. Sci. ii., 114; Mamestra com- 
posita, Meyr., Trans. N..Z Inst., xix. 22.) 
(Plate VIL, fig. 27 9.) 
One of the most abundant of our night-flying moths, 
oceurring in great profusion throughout the country. — It 
is also found on Stewart Island and in the Chatham 
Islands. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are pale reddish-brown, irregularly streaked with white. 
There are two clongate, pointed, white markings touching the 
termen below the middle, and a central white streak, interrupted 
in the middle, by a minute semicircular white mark, which rep- 
resents the lower portion of the reniform spot; the orbicular and 
claviform spots are obsolete. The hind-wings are dark grey. 
The head and thorax are reddish-brown, and the abdomen is 
dark grey. The antennae are serrate in the male but simple in 
the female. In some specimens the white markings are more 
extensive than usual, but otherwise there are no important varia- 
tions. 
The egg is almost globular, creamy-white, covered with 
extremely shallow, irregular hexagonal depressions. 
The larva is bright reddish-brown; the dorsal stripe is 
broad and black; the subdorsal narrower, edged with white; the 
lateral lines are dull red, white, and black; the ventral surface, 
head, legs, and prolegs are greenish-grey with black markings; 
the spiracles are black. 
This caterpillar varies considerably in the intensity 
of the light and dark markings. It feeds on grasses in 
January and September, and is very active. It often 
oceurs in prodigious numbers, and at such times may fre- 
quently be seen travelling at a great rate over bare ground 
in search of food. Amongst the grass it is hard to detect, 
as the striped colouring is very protective in that situa- 
tion. 
The pupa state is spent in the earth, or under moss 
on fallen trees. 
The moth appears from September till May. It is 
double-brooded. A few of the second brood emerge in 
the autumn and hybernate as moths, but the majority pass 
the winter in the pupa state. Hence we sometimes meet 
with specimens on mild evenings in the middle of winter. 
This insect is much attracted by light, and occa- 
sionally assembles in vast numbers round a brilliant lamp. 
I have had as many as one hundred specimens in my 
verandah at Karori, attracted during two or three hours. 
It is by far the commonest insect at the collector’s sugar, 
the numerous visitors of this species eagerly jostling each 
other in their haste to obtain a share of the sweets. P. 
composita is likewise observed in the utmost profusion on 
attractive flowers of all kinds, crowding out the rarer and 
more aristocratic species. Mr. Hanify has drawn my 
attention to the remarkable habit’ this insect has of sud- 
NOCTUIDAE. 61 
denly stopping during its flight, and thus eluding pursuit. 
It also takes wing with unusual rapidity. Specimens of 
this moth may constantly be observed at rest in various 
situations during the daytime, when the protective char- 
acter of the colouring will be at once apparent, especially 
when the insect is partially concealed amongst grass. Mr. 
Meyrick informs us that this species is common in Tas- 
mania and South-Eastern Australia. 
PERSECTANIA SIMILIS. 
(Persectania similis, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst. lv., 207.) 
This insect was discovered by Mr. Philpott at Gou- 
land Downs, near Nelson. It has also occurred on Mount 
Ruapehu at an altitude of 4,000 feet above the sea-level. 
Very like Persectania composita, but stated to be narrower- 
winged and without the peculiar reniform of that species. 
The general colouring is also considerably brighter than is 
usual in P. composita. 
PERSECTANIA AROTIS. 
(Leucania arotis, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 11. Leucania 
dulacias, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 11. Lewcania obso- 
leta, Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxviii., 511; Leucania 
innotata, ib., xl., 534.) 
(Plate VII., fig. 26 4.) 
This species has occurred at Waimarino, Waiouru and 
at Wellington, in the North Island. In the South Island 
it has been found at Blenheim, Christchurch, Rakaia, 
Dunedin and Invercargill. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are very pale brown or cream-colour with the veins finely 
marked in grey; there is a series of darker streaks between the 
veins, and a curved row of black dots marking the second line; 
the cilia are cream-colour. The hind-wings are dark grey with 
the cilia white. 
The perfect’ insect appears from September till April. 
It is a very searce species. 
PERSECTANIA ATRISTRIGA. 
(Xylina atristriga, Walk., Cat. xxxiii., 756. Mamestra antipoda, 
Feld., Reis. Noy., pl. cix. 23. Leucania atristriga, Meyr., 
Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 8.) 
(Plates Vib ties 255 2.) 
This bright-looking species is very common in the 
North Island in the neighbourhood of Wellington, and has 
been found at Auckland, Rotorua and Thames. In the 
South Island it has occurred abundantly at Nelson, Christ- 
church, Lake Coleridge, Dunedin, Lake Wakatipu and 
Invereargill, and has also been found on Stewart’ Island. 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are rich reddish-brown; there is a broad bluish-grey longi- 
tudinal streak on the costa, reaching nearly to the apex, and 
a very broad, pale brown, longitudinal shading on the dorsum; 
there is a conspicuous longitudinal black stripe in the middle 
of the wing from the base to one-third, the orbicular, reniform, 
and claviform spots are bluish-grey, edged with black, the trans- 
verse lines are very indistinct; the cilia are reddish-brown. The 
hind-wings are dark grey with the cilia ochreous. 

