






64 IX.—THE NOCTUIDAE. 
the North Island, and in the South Island at Poulburn, 
Central Otago, Alexandra and Queenstown, Lake Waka- 
tipu. 
The expansion of the wings is slightly over 1 inch. The 
fore-wings are bright pea green with numerous brownish-black 
markings; the first! line, orbicular and reniform are broadly out- 
lined in black, the space between the first and second lines being 
almost entirely blackish, except an irregular band of green below 
the stigmata; there is a curved series of white spots along the 
outer edge of the second line; three blackish blotches are situ- 
ated on the subterminal line, each blotch containing one or two 
white spots; the cilia are greenish-white with heavy blackish- 
brown bars. The hind-wings are grey-whitish clouded with brown 
towards the apex and termen; there is a wavy line across the 
middle, a grey lunule and a terminal series of dots; the cilia 
are white barred with blackish. 
The perfect insect appears from October till February, 
and has been taken at sugar. It is evidently a very rare 
species. 
MELANCHRA PAUCA. 
(Melanchra pauca, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst, xlii. 544.) 
(Plate VIII., fig. 6 @.) 
This very striking species has occurred at) Ohakune, 
Wanganui, and in the Wairarapa district in the North 
Island. In the South Island it has been found on Mount 
Greenland, at Wallacetown, near Invereargill; and Ore- 
puki. 
The expansion of the wings is nearly 14 inches. The fore 
wings are cream-coloured, very strongly tinged with green, with 
heavy purplish-brown and dark olive-green markings; the basal 
area is purplish-brown, except a small irregular patch of pale 
green near the base; the orbicular and claviform are large, con- 
fluent, pale green, surrounded with purplish-brown towards 
costa and dark olive-green towards dorsum; the reniform is 
almost oblong, pale green, with a large pale green blotch below 
it reaching as far as the dorsum; there is a large oblong patch 
of pale green on the dorsum near the middle; the subterminal 
area is deep olive-green, with a large oblong patch of pinkish- 
brown next reniform; a conspicuous purplish-brown blotch on 
termen below apex, and a series of blackish terminal marks. The 
hind-wings are grey, with strong yellowish-brown reflections. 
The perfect insect appears from December till March. 
It seems to be a very rare species. 
Described and figured from specimens kindly supplied 
by Messrs. Drew and Watt. 
MELANCHRA OCTANS. 
(Mclanchra octans, Huds., N.Z. Moths, 25.) 
(Plate VIII., fig. 2 9.) 
This distinctly marked little species was discovered by 
Mr. Philpott, at Mount’ Linton, near Invereargill. It has 
also occurred at Wanganui, Dunedin, Orawia and Orepuki. 
The expansion of the wings is 1? inches. The fore-wings 
are pale ochreous-brown; there are several wavy brown trans- 
verse lines near the base, two lines at about one-third, then a 
large V-shaped white mark extending almost from the costa and 
touching the dorsum; the orbicular and reniform spots are situ- 
ated in the middle of this mark, the orbicular is very finely 
outlined in brown, and contains a black dot towards the base 
of the wing; the reniform is large, dark brown, surrounded by 
a large triangular dark brown shading; there is an obscure sub- 
terminal line; the termen is slightly indented. The hind-wings 
are dark brown, paler towards the termen. 
This species may be immediately recognised by the 
large, white, V-shaped marking on the fore-wings. 
The perfect insect appears from September till March. 
Deseribed and figured from a specimen kindly given 
to me by Mr. Philpott. 
MELANCHRA GRANDIOSA. 
(Melanchra grandiosa, Philp., Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxv. 246, 
Dex xii) 
(Plate VIII., fig. 9 9.) 
This very handsome and conspicuous species was dis- 
covered by Mr. Philpott’ at West Plains, near Invercargill. 
It has also occurred at Alexandra, Queenstown, and Mace- 
town. 
The expansion of the wings is about! 1? inches. The fore- 
wings are very deep rich purplish-brown; there is a short, broad 
black basal streak with a yellowish-brown patch above it; the 
dorsum is margined with yellowish-brown; there is a very large 
triangular patch of velvety-brown in the disc; the orbicular is 
large, somewhat bell-shaped, yellowish-brown; the discal portion 
of the reniform is pale ochreous, oblong and very narrow but 
the outer portion, which is very large, is hardly distinguishable 
from the purplish ground colour; the terminal area is deep red- 
dish-brown with an oblique wavy fainter line dividing it from 
the discal area. The hind-wings are greyish-brown faintly tinged 
with reddish. 
The perfect insect appears in May, and has been eap- 
tured at sugar. 
MELANCHRA MAYA. 
(Melanchra maya, Huds., N.Z. Moths, 17.) 
(Plate VIII., fig. 8 9.) 
This rather striking-looking species has occurred on 
Mount Egmont and at Rangataua in the North Island. It 
appears to be widely distributed throughout the moun- 
tainous regions of the South Island, oceurring at altitudes 
ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea-level. It 
has been taken on the Tableland of Mount Arthur, at Mace- 
town, and on the lower slopes of Mount’ Earnslaw, at the 
head of Lake Wakatipu. 
The expansion of the wings is 18 inches. The fore-wings are 
bright yellowish-brown, paler towards the apex; there are two 
broad, shaded, black stripes at the base; a small stripe near 
the middle edged with yellow above, and a large one below the 
middle edged with yellow beneath; the stigmaiia are dark 
purplish-brown, the orbicular is semi-circular, oblique, edged 
with black except towards the costa; the claviform is rather 
irregular; the reniform is very large, edged with black; there 
is a large elongate patch of very dark brown at the tornus, 
partly edged first with yellowish and then with black; another 
smaller patch is situated on the termen near the middle, bisected 
by a fine yellow line. The hind-wings are grey; the cilia of all 
the wings are yellowish-brown. The head and thorax are purplish- 
brown, the abdomen dull brownish-grey. 
This species varies considerably in the ground-colour, 
which ranges from pale straw-colour to bright reddish- 
ochreous. The markings also vary in intensity. 
