









62 IX—THE NOCTUIDAE. 
This species varies considerably in the intensity of its 
markings, in the extent of the bluish costal streak, and in 
the general ground colour which, in some specimens, is dull 
brown giving the insect quite a dingy appearance. 
The moth first appears about January and continues 
in great abundance until the middle or end of April. It 
is extremely partial to the flowers of the white rata (Metro- 
sideros scandens), where, on warm, still evenings, it may 
be often met’ with in the utmost profusion. It also comes 
freely to sugar, and is sometimes attracted by light. 
PERSECTANIA PROPRIA. 
(Leucania propria, Walk., Cat. ix. 111; 'Gn., Ent. Mo. Mag. v. 2; 
Butl., Voy. Ereb., pl. ix. 4; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. 9.) 
(Plate VII., fig. 29 @.) 
This insect has occurred in the South Island at Mount 
Arthur, Blenheim, Mount Hutt, Dunedin, Central Otago, 
Lake Wakatipu, and Invercargill. It is also found in 
the Chatham Islands. 
The expansion of the wings is 14 inches. The fore-wings 
are pale ochreous; there is a conspicuous longitudinal black 
streak in the middle of the wing, extending from the base to 
about one-third, and a broad, dark brown longitudinal shading, 
slightly above the middle, from one-fourth to the termen; the 
reniform is rather small, dull grey, faintly edged with darker, 
the orbicular and claviform are very indistinct or absent; there 
is a transverse series of black dots on the veins a little before 
the termen, and another series on the termen; the cilia are 
ochreous banded with brown. The hind-wings are pale grey, 
with a terminal series of small black marks; the cilia are ochre- 
ous. The head and thorax are pale reddish-brown, and the 
abdomen is ochreous. 
This species varies considerably in the depth of its 
colouring. Some of the darker forms closely resemble 
certain varieties of P. atristriga, but’ Mr. Philpott has 
pointed out that the black basal streak terminates abruptly 
in P. propria, but tapers to an acute point in P. atristriga. 
The perfect insect is met with from January till 
April, and may be collected at sugar, or blossoms. On 
the Mount Arthur Tableland it occurred very commonly 
at about 3,800 feet’ above the sea-level. In this locality 
it was freely attracted by light, and large numbers of 
specimens were captured by the aid of a single candle, 
exhibited at the tent door during mild evenings. 
PERSECTANIA BASIFASCIA. 
(Persectania basifascia, Hamps. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., xii. 598.) 
The expansion of the wings is about 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are pale grey slightly tinged with red-brown and sparsely 
irrorated with black; a strong black fascia in submedian fold 
to below origin of vein 2; a minute, sub-basal black spot in the 
cell; antemedial line represented by black points on costa and 
vein 1 and an oblique striga above dorsum; orbicular and reni- 
form small, incompletely defined by black, the former very nar- 
row and elongate, a black streak between them in lower part of 
cell and beyond the reniform to the postmedial line with a 
diffused dark shade below it; postmedial line black, rather inter- 
rupted, bent outwards below costa, then strongly dentate, oblique 
below vein 4; sub-terminal line indistinct, pale, somewhat den- 
tate, defined on inner side by diffused black-brown; a terminal 
series of small black lunules. Hind-wing whitish suffused with 
pale red-brown, the cilia white; the underside white, faintly 
tinged with ted-brown, a small brown discoidal spot, a slight 
postmedial line excurved below costa, then oblique and ending 
at vein 4, a terminal series of blackish lunules from apex to 
vein 2, then a dark line. 
I am unacquainted with this species. The above par- 
ticulars have been taken from the original description. 
Genus 14.—ERANA, Walk. 
Face without prominence. Antennae in male with scattered 
cilia. Thorax clothed with scales, with anterior and posterior 
spreading crests. Abdomen with strong dorsal crests towards 
base. Fore-wings with vein 10 not connected with 9 to form 
areole, in male beneath with very long tuft of scent producing 
hairs from basal area. Hind-wings in male with costal area 
broadly expanded. 
(Plate C., figs. 9, 10 neuration of Hrana graminosa.) 
We have one species representing this interesting 
endemic genus. 
ERANA GRAMINOSA. 
(Erana graminosa, Walk., Cat., xi. 605; Hrana vigens, ib., xxxiii. 
743. EHrana graminosa, Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst!, xix. 28.) 
(Plate VII., fig. 30 @, 31 9; Plate L., fig. 30 larva before last 
moult; 31 full-grown larva.) 
This very beautiful species appears to be fairly 
common in many forests in the North Island having been 
taken at Thames, Waimarino, Wanganui, Masterton, Pal- 
merston and Wellington. In the South Island it has 
occurred in the Marlborough District and at Christchurch 
and Dunedin. 
The expansion of the wings is about! 14 inches. The fore- 
wings are bright green; there are three paler green transverse 
lines, edged with black; one near the base of the wing, one just 
beyond the reniform spot, and one close to the termen; this last! 
is inwardly much clouded with dark olive-green; the reniform 
spot is pale green, edged with black. The hind-wings are very 
broad, pinkish-brown, tinged with green, on the termen. In the 
female the hind-wings are considerably narrower, and are not 
so strongly tinged with green as in the male. 
The egg is about sly inch in diameter, semi-globose, 
much flattened beneath, pale green, the whole surface covered 
with minute irregular hexagonal depressions which radiate from 
the micropyle. 
When first! excluded from the egg the young larva is about 
+ inch long, and of a very pale green colour. After the first 
moult it is bright green, darker towards the head, with white 
dorsal, subdorsal, and lateral lines; there are eight rows of 
shining black spots, each spot emitting a number of stout black 
bristles; the head is yellowish-brown with a few black dots. 
After the last moult the larva has a totally different appearance. 
It is pale green, marbled with darker green; there is often a 
whitish lateral line, and a series of dark green, or blackish, 
spots on the sides of each segment; the whole larva is also 
considerably speckled with black. Sometimes the larva has a 
pinkish-brown tinge and there are often two or three rows of 
pale spots. In fact the full-grown caterpillar is very variable. 
At this stage the larva is sluggish in its habits, rest- 
ing on the moss-covered stems of its foodplant, Melicytus 
